


Hell in the Shadows

by CrazyNights



Series: Hell in the Shadows [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Duel Monsters, Missing Persons, Shadow Realm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:15:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 45
Words: 199,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26707339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrazyNights/pseuds/CrazyNights
Summary: How different would the world of GX be if it wasn't Atticus to go missing, but Zane. This is a retelling of season one, but instead Zane is the one who has been missing. Hell Kaiser as a Shadow Rider.
Series: Hell in the Shadows [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2198541
Comments: 163
Kudos: 33





	1. Welcome to Duel Academy

**Author's Note:**

> This was an idea I have been playing with for some time. The urge to write this down would not leave me at all. I love Alternate Universe FanFiction and how different the same two situations could be if there were slight changes. Let me know what you all think. Comments and thoughts are always welcome, as well as constructive criticism. Just a warning for mild swearing, just in case anyone is offended by that.

CHAPTER ONE: WELCOME TO DUEL ACADEMY

Jaden couldn’t believe he was finally on his way to Duel Academy. He and his newfound friend, Syrus Truesdale, were sitting side by side on the plane bound for the island. It was a surreal experience, the plane was not only packed with new entry students but also some of the top students who were allowed to go to the entrance exams and observe.

Jaden took a quick peek at his friend next to him. Syrus had a quiet confidence about him, he was not overt in any way and most people would call him shy. His light blue hair was wild and he hid behind the tiny glasses resting on his nose. But there was a strength there that Jaden was bound and determined he would bring out. A smile crossed his face of cartoonish proportions. His plan would come into effect just as soon as they were on the island.

Syrus noticed Jaden staring at him and risked a glance. The sight that greeted him was truly terrifying. The manic smile that split his face was one that belonged only on a cartoon character, or on one of his roid monsters. A shudder ran down his spine as he wondered what prompted that particular look.

Before he could ask, and probably regret it later, movement off to the side caught his attention. Both Jaden and Syrus looked up and saw a male in a pristine white coat with the back flared out. He had on tight black pants and shined black shoes. His brown hair was in layers down to his shoulder and looked slightly wild. His eyes were the color of chocolate and there was mischief lurking in their depths.

“There you are Syrus. Been wondering if we ended up on the same plane.” He had a smile and one hand resting on his hip.

Jaden raised an eyebrow. Syrus never mentioned that he knew anyone from Duel Academy. This guy was acting as if they had known each other forever. He was about to question Sy, when the stranger looked and seemed to take in Jaden as well.

“Good you making friends?”

“Yeah.” He gestured to Jaden as if introducing him. “This is Jaden Yuki, we met at the entrance exam. Jaden this is Atticus Rhodes, a friend of my br-” Syrus broke off. His eyes took on a far away look. 

The one named Atticus seemed to understand as his eyes as well took on a sullen, far off look. He placed a hand on Syrus’ shoulder and squeezed. Then as if a switch was flipped a grin came back. He looked Jaden in the eyes.

“Nice to meet you. And I must say, wicked job on kicking Dr. Crowler’s ass.” The grin turned to a challenging smirk. “You ever want a real competition come find me.” Pointing his thumb to his chest. “As Syrus said the name is Atticus. You ever want a true dueling challenge, just look me up."

Jaden could not believe the confidence of this guy. There was a small stare down and finally Atticus laughed breaking the tension. Nodding his head toward the two new students and doing a finger wave, he sauntered back to his seat toward the front.

Jaden leaned over Syrus to see where he went. Atticus made it to the front of the plane where a girl with a striking resemblance to him stood. They both talked for a moment and then she sat down at the window seat and Atticus took the aisle one.

Pulling back, Jaden looked at Syrus who still seemed lost in thought. Poking his arm a few times garnered no response. Moving his hand up and down in front of the glasses on his friend's face didn't either.

"Syrus. Hello? Earth to Sy."

Finally Syrus seemed to pull himself together. He looked at Jaden and tried to force a smile. The look in Jaden's though, showed he wasn't buying it.

"So Sy, how do you and Atticus know each other?" Jaden questioned again.

It took a moment before the quiet boy deigned to answer. "Atticus was best friends with my brother. They were originally called 'The Twin Jewels of Duel Academy'. It was always a toss up on who would be top duelist for a term." His voice was so quiet Jaden almost missed it. 

“Yo, your brother is at Duel Academy? That is awesome, maybe we can duel…” Jaden trailed off as he looked closer at Syrus. The shorter duelist’s eyes were tearing up and Jaden began to panic for a moment. “Sy, what’s wrong?”

A small hiccup sounded from the back of Syrus’ throat. The tears silently trailed down his pale cheeks. Jumping to his feet, Syrus walked away as fast as he could. Before he could get up after Syrus, the girl he saw earlier was blocking his path. Her eyes were narrowed and she wasn’t letting him. He saw Atticus using his mile long legs to eat up the space between him and the direction Syrus went.

“Hey, that is my friend. You need to move so I can make sure he is ok.”

“Just let him have a moment. Everyone has a story that they are not really ready to share.” Her voice was smooth and quiet when she spoke.

“Well I just want to make sure he is ok. I guess I asked a question that hit a nerve and I need to apologize.”

At the back of the plane, Syrus was sitting in a previously empty seat. The tears were coming down his cheeks and he tried to stop them. A figure appeared next to him and took the seat. Syrus raised his eyes and saw Atticus sitting there, looking straight ahead. Giving him some time to collect himself, Syrus guessed.

When the younger one calmed down enough, he raised his light colored eyes to meet somber, chocolate ones. Atticus offered a small, sad smile to the young duelist next to him. His mind flashed back to the promise he made two years ago.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The foggy night was only broken by the rotating light of the light of the lighthouse. The waves crashed on the cement path leading to the tall structure. Atticus walked with his hands in his pockets and noticed the person he was looking for.

Zane Truesdale stood ramrod stiff with his arms folded across his chest. The breeze shifted his teal colored hair that fell to his shoulder blades. His eyes, the same shade as his hair, were staring straight ahead as if the crashing waves held the answers he silently was asking.

Atticus finally reached the other Obelisk and stepped right up to him, facing forward just as Zane was. The older Obelisk looked worriedly at his closest remaining friend. After the disappearance of the other member of their group, Zane became even colder and standoffish. It concerned Atticus to no end.

“So Zane, what are you up to out here in the middle of the night?” If there was one thing Atticus could not stand it was uncomfortable silence, and the silence felt oppressive tonight.

“I needed some air tonight. I feel claustrophobic in the four walls of a building.” His voice was as cold as the night was turning out to be.

Atticus turned to face his best friend and rival. The pale face and defined features of his face were drawn into an impassive mask. His lips were tightly pursed and he narrowed his eyes even more. Something was clearly nagging Zane and he was not dealing with it.

“Zane, please talk to me. You haven’t been yourself since Yusuke disappeared.” At the mention of the missing member of their small group, Zane’s shoulders drew up as if trying to shield himself. Atticus noted it and raised a questioning eyebrow.

Zane whipped around and moved roughly past his friend. Stopping a few feet away, Zane seemed to lose some of his tenseness, as if he couldn’t keep it up anymore. Turning his head, Atticus was stunned into temporary silence at the drained look on Zane’s drawn face. Before he speaks, the tired duelist beats him to it.

“Atticus, I need a very large favor from you.” Even his voice sounds tired to Atticus.

“Anything Zane.”

Silence for a few moments before Zane takes a breath as if he has to brace himself. “If anything happens to me, please look after my little brother Syrus.” If Atticus had not been listening so intently he would have missed it.

Stunned beyond words, he stared with his mouth gaping open. He moved quickly and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, Atticus gave a very nervous laugh. Meeting Zane’s teal eyes, he kept his arm around the slimmer frame of the other boy.

“Well of course I will always watch out for your younger brother. You would do the same thing for me with my younger sister Alexis, right?”

Zane didn’t say anything for a moment. Finally he nodded his head in assent. 

The two top duelists of the school continued on their way to the dorm, Atticus kept a grip on Zane’s body. Thinking as if that could keep him from disappearing into thin air just like Yusuke.

Two days later, Zane vanished without a trace anywhere. Atticus was the last one left out of their little group of three. It was a sickening feeling that never left him.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus rested a hand on Syrus’ shoulder. He made a promise to Zane and he would keep it, he would keep an eye on Syrus and when Zane is found again… he wasn’t going to be getting away again.

“I have been looking for the last two years Sy. Not once did I stop, and when Alexis came last year she started helping me.” He turned to look at the younger boy. “I actually believe with you here this year, we will find something. There will be a big break in this.” Forcing his voice to be cheerful had become second nature to him.

Everyone around him expected him to bounce back, so the mask of pleasantness became a part of him. It helped him put those dark thoughts and memories in the back of his mind. Zane and Yusuke were his best friends, Atticus was the one to declare that first day.

“We are going to be eternal friends forever,” Atticus’s younger voice echoed in his head. That promise seemed to taunt him and torture him every night for two years.

“I appreciate it Atticus. My parents have not been the same since he vanished. And the school won’t give us any information. Zane and I drifted apart before that, but he was still my big brother and I always looked up to him.” Syrus swiped at his tear stained cheeks.

Atticus took a moment to give a shoulder hug to Syrus. He couldn’t imagine what the younger teen was going through. Missing his brother and the horror of not knowing where he was or if he was even alive anymore. That would be its own special type of hell.

A ding dong sound came from the speakers on the aircraft. Everyone on the plane looked up from what they were doing.

“Attention passengers, if you look out to the right you will see Duel Academy as we are approaching.” The voice of the captain came over the speakers.

New students immediately got near windows to see where they would be starting their new schooling career. Syrus, even as sad as he was, was actually a little excited to see how this year would go. He had made a new friend already in Jaden… Jaden!

He shot up, not sure how he would explain running off like that. Suddenly Jaden came running back smiling like a lunatic. He was jumping up and down and acted like a bobble head. The teen girl came up behind him, clearly trying not to laugh at how stupid he looked.

“Well you two, let me be the first to welcome you to Duel Academy,” Atticus told the two of them. “You need anything Syrus, you come find me. But now,” Atticus stood up and motioned Syrus to do the same, “we should get back to our normal seats. Let’s go Alexis.” The two siblings walked to the front of the plane once more and took their original seats.

“Syrus, I want to apologize,” Jaden spoke as they walked back to their seats. “I clearly touched something that you were not ready to talk about. But I am here for you when you are. That is what friends are for.”

“I will tell you Jaden… one day, but I need to collect my thoughts.”

The seatbelt light lit up and dinged to alert the passengers to fasten the seatbelts.

The plane began it’s seamless descent and skidded down the runway. The plane parked and everyone on board stood up and began to get bags out of the overhead compartments. Jaden and Syrus got their things and followed the line out of the plane.

Outside stood a row of adults. In the middle of the group was an older man. He had a bald head, and a gray goatee. His eyes were shining and a smile split his face.

“My name is Chancellor Sheppard. The head of this school. Welcome to Duel Academy students.” His voice rang across the crowd and cheers from the new students rang into the sky.


	2. Truth Time

CHAPTER TWO: TRUTH TIME

The new students were told to line up in front of anyone standing next to him. Each teacher had a list of new student names and they would be handing out the uniform jackets. It was told to them that they were required to wear the jackets on school grounds, except for nighttime. 

“Students, once you have your color jackets, you will be pointed in the direction of your dorm. I expect great things from you here at the school. You are the new generation of duelists. Make us all proud with your skills,” Chancellor Sheppard’s booming voice carried even without a microphone.

After the speech made by Chancellor Sheppard, the two new Slifer Red students headed to their dorm. It was located on the outskirts of the island. One side was facing the water, but that was about the only redeeming quality of the dorm. It looked dilapidated and held together with duct tape and glue. It was two levels with the upper level having a wrap around deck.

Jaden’s brown eyes lit up excitedly. They had an ocean view on their dorm, holy crap. Syrus was still quiet next to him. His light colored eyes were scanning all around as if looking for something out of the ordinary. Or someone out of the ordinary, the thought crossed Jaden’s mind.

“Hey Sy, let’s find our room, put our stuff down and explore. What do you say?” Jaden was so excited about this prospect he started to vibrate in place.

Blinking the shorter duelist looked at his friend. A slow smile crossed his face and he thought that Atticus was right. This would be the year that something would break loose and Zane would be found, one way or the other.

“Yeah let’s do that Jay!” Syrus took off running across the green and brown grass to the dorm, suddenly full of vigor.

Jaden couldn’t help but smile as he also took off running. His short brown hair catching in the wind as he caught up to Syrus. They reached the dorm and made their way up the steps. Pulling out their individual hand held units they looked up their room numbers.

“I’m in room 2A Jaden. You?”

Jaden grinned when he saw his room number. “2A Syrus. Looks like we are roommates.”

They both walked to the second door and opened it. The room was on the smaller side, with three desks and a triple stack bunk bed. The drapes were drawn closed and it looked kinda dingy. Syrus looked around and cringed.

“This looks kinda small.”

Again Jaden laughed before responding. “Well you are a small guy Syrus.” Jaden walked further into the room. Pulling open the drapes. “You know this will make a great pad for our first year here.”

“HEY! Those were closed for a reason!” A voice neither boy recognized yelled at them.

Both jumped and looked around. Finally Jaden noticed him on the top bunk. A hulking form shifted in the sheets. Both young teens laughed nervously. Jaden rubbed the back of his head.

“Sorry, didn’t see you there. Oh?”

The person in the bed started to move and glared down at the two newer students. The look on his face caused both of them to scream and grip each other in fear.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus was walking aimlessly around the island. He just could not get his brain to focus and Alexis was starting to notice something was off with him too. He wondered distantly if he was worrying her the same way Zane worried him.

Blowing out a breath, he finally looked around his surroundings. Blinking in shock he realised that he was near the Slifer Red dorm. Cocking his head to the side in thought, he made up his mind to make sure Syrus was settling in. His long strides began eating up the ground.

Suddenly a scream came from the dorm and shocked the Obelisk. Eyes wide, he took off in a sprint and prayed that Syrus was ok. He did not want two missing members of the Truesdale family on his conscience. Taking the steps two at a time he made it to the top and yanked open the door without knocking.

“Syrus?!"

The three Slifers in the room all looked at him. Syrus had a panic stricken look on his face. Jaden looked frozen in shock and the older one, Atticus remembered his name as Chumley, looked shocked and confused.

“King Atticus?” Chumley whispered.

Jaden and Syrus both looked to the oldest teen in the room. Atticus was sure he had a slightly wild look in his eyes. The panic that something was happening to Syrus was still fresh in his head.

Letting out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, he crossed his arms and leaned his shoulder against the doorframe. A confident smirk on his face. His assessing chocolate eyes did a quick scan and he allowed himself to settle.

"Hey Syrus. Just wanted to make sure you were settling ok."

Syrus broke out in a grin and nodded. Atticus looked up to Chumley and gave a narrow eyed stare. He heard that Chumley had a rotten attitude, and he didn't want Syrus, or even Jaden for that matter, to be affected. 

Chumley gulped and averted his eyes. This person was the last remaining part of the 'Twin Jewels of Duel Academy'. King Atticus and Kaiser Zane were the reigning Champs, undefeated and the duels between them only ended in ties.

"So why do they call you 'King Atticus'?" Jaden asked.

The third year Obelisk turned his attention to Jaden. He shrugged his broad shoulders and ran a hand through his already messy hair. Opening his eyes he leveled Jaden with a look.

"I didn't come up with that nickname. Someone started calling me that behind my back and I heard it through the grapevine. Not that I dislike it. I personally think it fits and has a nice ring to it." His eyes sparkled with pleasure and glee. "Much better than Kaiser," he said before he could stop himself. 

Atticus froze for a moment and cursed under his breath. That coming out was not his intention. Glancing at the younger teens, he was relieved to realize that Syrus was not familiar with Zane's campus nickname.

"Sweetness. So there are two big men on campus I need to duel and beat. So if you are one, where can I find this Kaiser guy?" Jaden was shaking with excitement as he thought about the possible duels.

Atticus was tempted to turn and walk away, not wanting Syrus' first day to be marred thinking about Zane. However it seemed Lady Luck was flat out against him today. Chumley found this moment to be a helpful roommate. 

"Zane 'Kaiser' Truesdale. He was the other big man on campus. Highest marks and only tied for first with Atticus 'King' Rhodes in terms of dueling. He went missing about two years ago. Vanished without a trace. Scary huh?" Chumley finished as he climbed down from the top bunk.

"Vanished huh? This is a bona-fide mystery." Jaden laughed and then something else clued in. He looked down to his new best friend. "Syrus… your name is Truesdale…" he trailed off uncomfortably.

Syrus nodded his head slowly. Atticus watched as all the implications hit the other two. First Chumley's jaw hit the floor and Jaden stumbled back in shock. If the reasons behind it were not so depressing, Atticus would have found it hilarious. As it stood, nothing was humorous about this situation. 

Syrus turned around and sat down. He looked to Atticus for support. The older one stepped all the way into the room and leaned against the desk Syrus was sitting at. He crossed one foot over the other as well as crossed his arms. He looked down at the young Truesdale and silently asked with his eyes, who he wanted to tell the story. Light, pleading blue eyes met his chocolate ones.

"Around two years ago, some students went missing. One of those students was Zane Truesdale, Syrus' older brother. He and I were best friends. Originally there were three of us in our group but that is a different story. No one knows anything about those that vanished. There was no record of them leaving the island either by boat or plane. The school has been trying to keep it quiet and not let it get leaked. But I have been searching for the last two years, hoping to find a clue." A small smile quirked at the corner of his mouth. "I told Sy here that I have a feeling something good will come from this."

Jaden was silent. Chumley was blown away, this might be an interesting year after all. After all he now knew someone of a big name.

"I am going to warn you," Atticus continued before anyone could say something else. "Do not do anything stupid. If you have questions let Syrus know and he will get ahold of me. Do NOT go snooping in places you don't belong. They don't take kindly to anyone going where they shouldn't. Even more if said student is wearing a red jacket." His eyes stared holes into all three of the Silfers.

Jaden opened and closed his mouth repeatedly. Atticus continued to stare at him unblinkingly. He would not budge on this, too many students have already vanished, Atticus would not allow any others to go missing. He still carries the guilt of losing his two closest friends because he didn't pay close enough attention. There will not be another soul on his conscience. 

The brunette Slifer finally nodded his head. He looked all the younger teens boys in the eyes. Making them promise with words, not just head nods, that they would not do anything stupid.

He would keep his promise to Zane, even if it killed him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just as an FYI I do not plan on going episode by episode. I am going to have some changes and skimming over certain parts. Also there is going to be a lot of focus on Atticus now. Once the part comes of the Shadow Riders then we will be going more in line with the episodes.


	3. Chapter 3

Atticus stared out at the crashing waves. This used to be a calming influence for him, soothing the mind and soul. The waves were predictable and relaxing this time of evening. Toward the west the sun was setting over the horizon causing an orange glow over the surface of the water. The last remnants of the warm day shone on his face. Closing his eyes, he tilted his head and absorbed the last bit he could.

Atticus had long since shed his white jacket and now was in just his black pants and form fitting long sleeve top. His hair was in its usual disarray that somehow looked intentional. Crossing his arms across his chest, he breathed out and opened his eyes. It didn’t feel right not having Zane or Yusuke standing by him, all of them looking out over the water.

Shaking his head, he attempted to dispel the dark images and memories. The first couple of weeks of the new year seemed to be a strange combination of the weeks going quickly, yet the days themselves seem to drag on. Atticus had developed a form of a routine; he would meet Syrus and Jaden in the morning, help them with anything they needed. Get their asses to class, who knew trying to motivate three Slifer Red students could be such a hassle. Lunch would come around, and Syrus along with Jaden and sometimes Chumley, would find Atticus and they would have lunch. Sometimes Alexis would join in and other times she ate with her friends Mindy and Jazzmine. Then back to class again and at the end of the day, Atticus would meet up with them one last time to make sure nothing went wrong, then silently watched as they went back to the Slifer dorm while he turned to make his way to the Obelisk one.

Atticus knew he was being paranoid and probably boarding on ‘helicopter parent’ thinking. Sighing, he tried to think through everything and coming up with ways to not come off as creepy as he knew it was. The guilt kept eating at him, why didn’t he keep a closer on Zane after Yusuke went missing. The signs that something was really wrong were there, he should have done something, anything to figure out what happened.

“Hey Atticus!” Jaden’s voice came from down the way.

Turning his head, the third year looked to see the skinny Slifer red sprinting toward him. Momentary panic seized his heart and lungs. Did something happen to Syrus when he wasn’t looking. Before he could ask, Jaden came to a screeching halt. A wild eyed look and smile to match.

“Got a question for ya!” Jaden’s voice was winded but loud all the same.

“Sure, what’s up?” Atticus raised an eyebrow.

“Can you come back to the Slifer dorm mess hall? I want to ask some questions, but I don’t want Syrus to hear them.”

“Why not ask me here?” It seemed pointless to Atticus to walk all the way back to the Slifer dorm just to answer some questions.

“Because, Syrus is out walking around and I don’t want him to happen upon us. It’s about his brother." Jaden dropped the bomb right on Atticus' head.

Standing frozen for a moment, he then nodded and proceeded to follow Jaden back to his dorm's mess hall. They walked the distance in silence, Jaden thinking on how to phrase his questions and Atticus collecting his thoughts. Whenever he thought about Zane, or Yusuke for that matter, it never failed to send him to a dark place.

Finally they reached the Red dorm and walked into the first door on ground level. It was the dinning area. Atticus had to double blink. Never in his three years had he been in the Slifer Red dorm. And now was he glad. 

The room was barely bigger than the bedrooms in Obelisk. It had wooden tables and benches, that looked way too short for him and his frame. Inwardly grimacing, he wondered if one of them would break when he tried to sit. Luckily there were no other students in the room. Most were exhausted after the past couple of weeks. 

This school was ranked best of the best for a reason, they pushed their students to the best possible and there was no room for not doing just that. For that alone, Atticus was grateful. He felt prepared for when he left here to enter whatever he wanted to do. Long ago, he thought about fame and fortune, dragging his sister to becoming a pop idol sensation… now he wasn’t entirely sure what he wanted to do. Part of him wanted to go pro with dueling, hell at one point he thought about asking Zane to form a tag team with him. Have them both ride that circuit for a while, they would have dominated the world.

During his internal musings, Jaden had made his way to the table at the far left corner. Atticus walked over and looked skeptically at the bench, he was sure the moment he sat down, his ass would hit the floor. Willing to take the chance, he sat gingerly on the bench. Relief surged inside as he realized it was stable and he would not end up looking at the ceiling while he lay on his back and ass.

“So what questions about Zane do you have?”

Jaden fidgeted for a moment. This was not going to be an easy topic to speak on, but Jaden knew if he was going to help his friend, this needed to be done. So sucking in a breath, he took the plunge and began with the most pressing question on his mind.

“What happened to Syrus’ brother? I am not talking about you saying he ‘vanished’. I want to know how he went missing. What do you know, Atticus?” Jaden laid it all on the line.

Atticus leveled Jaden with a stare that he learned from Zane. This look was known to freeze any student and half the faculty. His eyes were slightly narrowed and the corners of his mouth turned down in clear displeasure. The stare down lasted a few more moments before Jaden looked away. Atticus smirked and then leaned forward, putting his chin on the palm of his right hand, the left was laying on the table.

“Zane was one of the two dozen or so students to go missing a couple years ago. What I am about to share, has not been passed around. So it better stay between us Jaden.” He reached across the table and poked Jaden in the chest. The stare down continued until Jaden sighed and nodded his head. “Words, Jaden. I am big on keeping your word and want you to say you understand.”

“I understand Atticus. I won’t let this get out. Not from me.” Jaden made his voice as solemn as possible. This was a serious conversation and he wanted Atticus to trust him. The past couple weeks have the older teen watching out for Syrus and him. He cared about Syrus and the caring had extended to them as well.

“Good. Now as I was saying there was a string of disappearances about two years ago. It started with the other one in our group. His name was Yusuke Fujiwara. He was a genius and the three of us were as close as you, Syrus and Chumley are. Anyway, that story is so much longer and not the time. After Yusuke vanished Zane became almost cold, standoffish and downright antisocial. Granted he wasn’t a social butterfly to begin with, but he would participate in class, talk with people… but that changed. One night before he vanished, Zane asked me to watch over Syrus if something happened to him. I figured he was just thinking about Yusuke and how suddenly that happened. So I brushed it off and didn’t think much of it. I promised of course, and will keep that promise. A few days later, Zane never showed up to class. He was always there before me. When Dr. Crowler took attendance and noted Zane absent, I got up and went to look for him.” Atticus had to pause for a moment. The memory of that day came back almost as if it happened yesterday instead of two years ago.

“I sprinted to the dorm, thinking he would be inside his room. Maybe he was sick and forgot to shoot me a message or even forgot to alert Dr. Crowler. But when I got to his room, no one was answering. When we were all in the Middle School portion of Duel Academy we exchanged room keys. I wanted us to be able to help one another should the need arise. I pulled Zane’s room key out of my pocket and let myself in. When I got inside, nothing looked disturbed. His bed was made, like he always did every morning, essentially it looked as if he got up like he normally did. I walked around the room and noticed a written message on his desk. Zane didn’t leave things out, he was a neat guy and a private one at that. I read the message and it mentioned what is now known as the abandoned dorm, it used to be an extra dorm. Mainly overflow of Obelisk students. So that was my next stop. When I got there I noticed that the door happened to be open. I went inside and couldn’t find anyone, but when I turned to leave…” Atticus trailed off. His stomach still felt sick to this day.

“What? What happened when you turned to leave?” Jaden asked. He had been silent through the whole story thus far. But now they were getting somewhere, he didn’t want Atticus to stop.

“When I turned to leave, there on the ground, was Zane’s prized card. He never went anywhere without it.” Atticus reached down to his deck holder attached to his hip. Flipping it open, he pulled out said card. Looking at it for a moment, he then flipped it around so Jaden could see it. “This card meant more to Zane than any other in his deck. The man treasured his deck as it was, but this one, Cyber End Dragon was it for him. His entire deck was centered around this. There was no way he would have just dropped it or even purposely left it.” Atticus turned the card back around so the image was facing him once again. The image of a three headed metal dragon stared back at him. Carrying this card, helped him feel as if a part of Zane was still here, even if physically he was gone.

Jaden was stunned into silence again for a moment. He thought about the cards in his deck. He couldn’t fathom dropping any of them, or even leaving them on purpose. So he could understand how this would alarm Atticus. No duelist worth anything would not simply lose their prized card. He looked at Atticus staring at the card. It was clear Atticus used that as some sort of talisman that Zane was still around. Disappearances didn’t just affect blood families, Jaden realized, it affected friends as well.

“That is messed up. The school didn’t do anything?” Jaden couldn’t help but ask.

Atticus looked up from the card, and slid it back into his deck holder. He was going to take care of it, just like he was going to watch over Syrus. Zane would be back one day and he wanted to give his card back and let him know, his brother had been safe. His eyes raised to meet Jaden’s once more.

“The school has done investigations. But they didn’t want any bad publicity to get out. I am sure they have some bullshit fabricated story they told people, but it’s just that; bullshit. Chancellor Sheppard pulled me into a meeting, since two of the missing students were by best friends. I told him what I could, not about Zane acting off… but everything else.” Looking around the still empty room, Atticus rolled his shoulders to try and ease some of the tension that settled there and never really left. “I have carried this guilt with me for the last two years. I keep thinking, what if I didn’t let Zane out of my sight? What if I pestered him until he told me what was wrong? I was good at that. Both Yusuke and Zane said when I wanted to get something out of them, I had a talent for pestering until they cracked.” A wry smirk tugged at his lips.

“I just want to say something Atticus,” Jaden interrupted. He didn’t like seeing the confident man and duelist he first met, beating himself up over this. Atticus met his eyes. “There may have been no way to get him to tell you. From what Syrus has told me about his brother, as well as what you have let me in on, he was stubborn and reserved. He probably would not have told you anything. Don’t let the guilt eat you alive anymore.”

Atticus blinked at Jaden in shock. He was confused and touched with the younger teen’s attempts at trying to cheer him up. It wasn’t working, but in this instance, it was the thought that counted most. Atticus really did appreciate the thought.

Before either of them could say anything else, Chumley burst in the room. His rotund frame was heaving as he tried to catch his breath. His white and red jacket was stained in dust and dirt. All in all, it did not look like a good sight.

“Chum? You okay, what happened?” Jaden asked worried about his friend. “Wait… where is Syrus? You were with him so I could talk to Atticus.”

Atticus shot up out of the seat at that comment. He whirled on Chumley causing the other teen to stumble back in panic. Atticus was the nice and easy going one. But when pushed past his threshold, he was a holy terror unlike ever seen before. Even Zane and Yusuke’s tempers paled in comparison. His long strides ate up the distance between the two of them. Jaden was hot on his heels, worry etched in his face, rather than the panic etched in Attticus’ features.

“We were walking around and happened upon the abandoned dorm territory. We weren’t going inside, we promised… but a guy came out and said he wanted a duel. When Sy and I started to back up and leave, he shined a light in our eyes and I hit my head on a tree when I stumbled back. I blacked out for a minute and when I got my vision clear, Syrus was gone. And the guy’s voice echoed around saying ‘tell Jaden Yuki to meet me at the abandoned dorm’s basement’.” Chumley kept his eyes downcast.

It felt as if ice cold fingers were squeezing Atticus’s lungs and heart. This was not happening, this was not happening. He was not keeping his promise… like hell. He shoved Chumley out of the way and took off toward the abandoned dorm. He would get Syrus back. He heard footfalls behind him, turning his head as he kept sprinting, he noticed Jaden was catching up. Chumley was further behind, but he was coming.

When Jaden caught up, he winked at Atticus. “I don’t think your name is Jaden Yuki… King Atticus. I want to get Syrus back as well. We can keep him safe together, and when Zane is found again, I want to duel both of you.” Jaden could feel his blood pumping just at the thought.

Atticus snorted and picked up the pace. He and Jaden made it to the dilapidated dorm. The front had a guard rail in place with a giant piece of wood with a red X on it. Signalling no entry. Stepping over it, Atticus jogged up the path and onto what once was the grand terrace. The door was open yet again and it felt like deja vu.

Both Jaden and Atticus walked through the open doorway just as Chumley caught up. He made it to them and gulped as they were standing in the foyer. Chumley gave Jaden a flashlight and shrugged apologetically to Atticus for not having one for him. Atticus shook his head and then noticed how the sun was now pretty much set. Just a few final rays that lit the room.

Jaden moved the flashlight around looking for a way to the basement where his duel awaited. His light moved over one of the walls and saw what looked like images of the seven millennium items. It was crazy to see. As the light moved a little further, he caught sight of a picture of someone he had never seen before.

“Hey Atticus, what did Zane look like?” Jaden asked spontaneously.

Without looking to where Jaden was, Atticus kept searching for the basement door. “He was tall and had a slimmer build. He had teal hair that had jagged layers and came down to his shoulders. His eyes were the same shade as his hair. Why?”

Jaden just stared at the picture. The person in the picture was just like Atticus described. He wore a white jacket just like Atticus did and his arms were crossed over his chest. A small smirk was visible, it was clearly not a smile. He walked closer and grabbed it. This HAD to be Zane “Kaiser” Truesdale.

A scream echoed from the walls. They all took off in the direction they heard it, finding the basement doorway. They ran through, the walls were dirt as they made their way down. When they finally reached down there, it was a disturbing sight. On the floor symbols that Atticus had no idea about were carved into the floor. Whatever they were, they were not good. Jaden and Chumley moved their flashlights around and landed on Syrus.

He was unconscious and tied up. There was a bruise on his jaw, more than likely whoever this guy was, he hit Syrus to knock him out. Atticus wondered if he would get in a few hits himself on the jackass who did this. A demonic laugh sounded and out of the shadows walked a man. He was dressed in all black, had on a gray mask covering half his face.

“Hello, Jaden Yuki.” His voice was deep. It sent chills down the spines of the three teens.

“What do you want? Why did you take my friend?” Jaden yelled. He was angry seeing Syrus like this.

“I have been hired to take you out.” The mystery man pulled out a duel disk and put it on the floor, kicking it over. “I challenge you to a shadow game.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am posing a question to any of you reading this. For this duel not much changes, except that Atticus is there. Do you want me to type the duel out. I personally have an idea on how I want this to go, because next chapter I want a little Syrus in there. Something huge happens next chapter with Syrus. As always thoughts and critiques welcome. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. The ideas for this one just keep coming, so I plan on making good use of that fact.


	4. Revelations

CHAPTER FOUR

Syrus lay on the ground trying to wake up. In his mind he could see hundreds if not thousands of little black things all around him. He was sure he had to be dreaming… at least he hoped that was the case. Standing as still as possible hoping they don’t come any closer. No this wasn’t a dream, it was a NIGHTMARE! He wasn’t sure how long he had been standing as still as possible to avoid detection by these things.

Syrus was shaking from terror, these things were terrifying and scurrying toward him. Before they reached him, fire blazed in front of him. The dark ball creatures skidded to a halt and all started trembling. The blue flames died down and there stood a man. Syrus only got a look at his back, but something about him felt familiar.

The man was taller, had a slim muscular build. His dark hair, Syrus couldn’t tell what color it was, was down to his shoulder blades in different lengths. A black leather jacket doned the figure and it was form fitting, flaring outward at the waist. The shoulders looked to be spiked up, giving a ‘don’t trifle with me’ vibe. His black pants had a red stripe going from the feet presumably all the way to his waist. Shined black shoes were the last thing Syrus could make out.

“I’m not playing games here!” The flames seemed to devour the creatures. As the creatures screeched in agony, the figure started to turn toward Syrus.

Now Syrus got a frontal view of his rescuer, at least that is what Syrus hoped he was. The man wore a mask covering his eyes, down to his nose. It was dark with light blue jeweled eye slots and a red jewel on the forehead. In a strange way it looked almost like a bird mask. The bottom pointed part covering his nose, really only leaving his mouth and jawline visible. Finally what looked like two small horns stuck out at the top, parts of his dark hair resting over it. His clothes were tight. The shirt outlined his chest and covered part of his neck. There was silver trimming on the jacket from the front view. A strange medallion that was broken in half rested on his chest with a rope letting it hang from around his neck. A silver belt buckle with some letters engraved on it, Syrus couldn’t make out what they were. Finally it looked like the red stripe went up on the front of his pants as well and the shoes had a pointed look.

Syrus knew this person saved him from those shadow monsters, but was it really being saved? Or being saved so this person could do what he wanted. The stranger took a step forward, and Syrus took an instinctive step back. Who wouldn’t, this person looked like Hell incarnate. This continued for a couple more steps until the man used his considerably longer legs to step right up to him. The light blue jewels glowed red for a moment.

Syrus jerked awake, only to find Jaden winning a duel. His eyes felt heavy and as he tried to keep them open. Feeling arms underneath him, Syrus turned his head to see the familiar shape of Atticus. The older teen was lifting Syrus into his arms. Syrus could only keep his eyes open to half mast, it felt as if all his strength was gone.

“Nooooo!” A voice yelled, it sounded pained.

Syrus turned his head and saw a black hole sucking the older man who had taken him captive into its depths. Atticus went down on one knee, keeping a hold of Syrus and holding on to whatever he could, to not get sucked in as well. Syrus gripped his shirt and Atticus looked down in relief to see the younger starting to come around.

Finally the rushing wind seemed to stop and all four duelists in the room relaxed. Jaden and Chumley ran up to where Syrus and Atticus were. Atticus let Syrus go for a minute and the poor boy almost fell over. Both Jaden and Chumley steadied him as Atticus pulled out a small knife to cut the ropes binding Sy’s wrists. Once that was done, Atticus turned around and had the other two Slifers hoist their friend onto his back.

Standing up, he turned his head slightly and looked at Syrus. He was covered in dirt and dust from laying on the floor the entire time. His light colored eyes were half mast as if he couldn’t keep them open. Somehow, his glasses didn’t appear to have been broken, thank goodness for small mercies.

Taking a calming breath, Atticus motioned for all of them to get a move on. They didn’t need to be caught here. Walking back up the rickety stairs to the main floor, Syrus sighed. Atticus turned around and looked at Syrus first then to the others. Both Jaden and Chumley shrugged.

As stealthily as they could, the three students, with the unconscious friend being carried, made their way to the outskirts of the island to the Slifer Red dorm. They tiptoed up the steps to the second level. Jaden snuck in front of Atticus and used his key to open the door.

They all stepped inside and Chumley, the last one in, shut the door. Atticus moved over to the bed and put Syrus on the second bunk, where Jaden motioned. Syrus rolled over and opened his eyes slightly to look at Atticus. 

"Thanks big brother," his voice slurred the words.

Jaden cracked a grin, Chumley snickered. But Atticus? He froze for a moment. Did Syrus get him confused with Zane? They were built similarly, but different in pretty much every other way.

Reaching out a hand, he ruffled Syrus on the head. He turned around and nodded goodbye to the other two. His hand on the doorknob, he turned back around to address them.

"What happened tonight, didn't. Are we clear? I will go to Sheppard right now and report a strange man. But we were never at the abandoned dorm. Am I clear?" He needed to know they would all be on the same page.

Jaden reached into his jacket and pulled something out. Thrusting it forward, he showed Atticus the picture that he took from the entryway of the abandoned dorm. Atticus reached out, took the frame and flipped it over.

He felt the world tilt around him. This was the last picture taken of Zane. He made the top student again and each term their picture is taken and hung in their color dorms. Atticus stared at the photograph and wanted to cry. This was the first sign of anything related to Zane since his disappearance. 

Moving further into the room again, he placed the framed picture on the bed with Syrus. Knowing when he woke up, he would want to see what his best friend found.

"When Syrus comes to, make sure he knows that we don't speak about tonight and it didn't happen. If anyone finds out that we were near that place, we could all be in trouble," Atticus reiterated.

"We got it, Atticus. And we want to help find him. Clearly you have been searching, but some fresh eyes could help." Jaden’s voice was quiet but sounded like a solemn vow.

Atticus nodded and left the dorm, to alert Sheppard about the weird guy. Although, the way he seemed to be sucked into that strange vortex told Atticus, it was highly likely he would never be found.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Luckily the next day was Saturday, meaning the group had the day to try and recover. A few hours later Atticus was walking back to the Slifer Red dorm. He had gone back to his dorm after telling Sheppard that he saw a strange man and he was going in the direction of the abandoned dorm.

Sheppard took the matter seriously and because Atticus had never played pranks with something this important, and other people apparently corroborated what he said. The security team was mobilized and sent to investigate the dorm. When nothing was found, Sheppard quickly tried to cover this. When Atticus got word of this he went off on Sheppard. He could still remember those harsh words and the revelations that followed.

*****************************************************************************************************************

After Atticus had changed, he marched to the Chancellor’s office. Furious was too tame of a word for what he was feeling. How could Sheppard keep sweeping things under the rug when it came to people vanishing from that place. Even if it worked to his advantage this time, it still was something that just pushed him over the edge.

Stopping in front of the door, he knocked hard on the metal door. He stood there, arms crossed and waited for the permission to enter. If manners had not been drilled into him by his parents he may just have barged in and not given a care about it.

“Enter,” Sheppard gave the permission soon enough.

Atticus opened the door and stalked in across the floor to where Chancellor Sheppard was seated at his desk, reading over the report about the intruder. He looked up and saw Atticus and the tense set of his body. He sighed, knowing what was about to happen and was prepared for it.

“Chancellor, why are you trying to sweep this under the rug as well? People are going missing not just from this island, but that dorm specifically. That needs more than just the Duel Academy Police. This is an actual problem,” Atticus snapped out.

Sheppard set the papers aside and stood up from his desk. He was dressed in his usually burgundy jacket in the same style as the Obelisk ones. His bald head reflected the sun off and gave an almost halo effect around him. If Atticus were not so pissed, he would have laughed at the fact this man had a halo around him.

“I know you are upset Mr. Rhodes and you have a right to be. But I am doing what is best for this school. You-”

“Don’t you dare tell me I don’t understand. Two of those missing students were my best friends. One of them has a family and a younger brother who also happens to be a student here now. How do you look at yourself everyday knowing you are lying to them? Their son and brother is missing and you tell them you are investigating and not one agency has been here to help. This has only been handled by an internal investigation and nothing to show for it! How do you explain that?!” Atticus demanded. His hands hit Sheppard’s desk in his angry desk in his furious haze.

Sheppard surprisingly did not say anything. He let Atticus vent, and get it out of his system. The teen had been questioned at length and obviously carried some pent up emotions for what happened to his closest friends. He figured the best thing to do was to let him get it all out. Sighing, Sheppard turned around and looked out his grand open windows, overlooking the sparkling ocean water.

“You think I sleep well? I have known Truesdale since he was a child. I trained him how to duel, what the game meant and about what he was the rightful heir to,” Sheppard’s voice was quiet almost as if he didn’t expect Atticus to hear him.

Atticus straightened up slowly. He was even more confused now, Zane never mentioned that he knew Sheppard before Duel Academy. Why would Zane hide that fact… scratch that, he knows why Zane would have hidden that. If it got out, people could have disputed Zane being Top Duelist so many times. Earning his nickname of Zane ‘Kaiser’ Truesdale. The name was well earned, he never lost to anyone.

“What do you mean? What is Zane the rightful heir to?” Atticus’ voice was almost as quiet as the Chancellor’s.

“Your friend Truesdale was the rightful heir to an ancient legacy known as the Cyber Legacy. He was able to feel the spirit of the card and it called to him. When I saw how he reacted to the card itself, I knew he was it. Spending six months with him in my school, he was the youngest one there, I learned so much about him. I trained him personally and felt as proud as a father would have been. When I gave the card and deck to him, we parted ways. I never thought our paths would cross again… but when I saw him in the opening ceremony that day-” Sheppard cut himself off for a moment when a choking sound came from the back of his throat.

“You were excited to see him again?” Atticus guessed.

Turning around to face the teen who was brave enough to speak his mind, Sheppard nodded his head. He wearily sank back into his high back leather chair and steepled his fingers in front of his face. He was quiet for a few more moments, before sighing and meeting the chocolate eyes of his student.

“I was very excited to see him again. He had grown up and I saw you, as well as Fujiwara standing next to him. All three of you were the top scorers and the duels between you all were never boring nor predictable. When I first watched Zane duel here, and I saw the combo he created with the deck and his duel spirit card, pride was overwhelming inside of me.” Sheppard smiled slightly.

The pieces clicked suddenly into place for Atticus, there was only one card in Zane’s deck that he made all his combos around. His hand rested on his hip, where his deck holder was attached. Where he carried Cyber End Dragon with him at all times. He gulped and wondered if he should tell Sheppard.

“You have a right to be angry with me Rhodes. But I have not once stopped looking, I just have more at stake here than just the school’s reputation. If it gets out that the Cyber Legacy heir is missing, it could cause an entire upset in the balance.” Suddenly Sheppard sounded his age, not the booming, jovial voice of the school’s Chancellor.

Atticus nodded his head, and making up his mind, he pulled out the card from his deck holder. He looked down at it and sucked in a breath, he flipped it around to show the image to Sheppard who sucked in a breath so fast, he started coughing. Thumping his fist against his chest, he reached out and Atticus was reluctant to hand it over.

Sheppard grasped the card as if it were priceless and for the two in here it was worth more than gold. The Chancellor’s eyes started to mist over. Staring down at Cyber End Dragon was the hardest thing he did and it showed on his face that suddenly looked far older than he actually was. He looked back up to the student in front of him.

“Where did you find this?” 

“I found it that day in the dorm. Which is why I have been so adamant about searching it,” Atticus confessed. It was time to come clean. “I plan on giving the card to Syrus now that he is here. Let him have something of Zane’s to hold on to. Keep the hope alive that Zane is alive and will be found.”

Sheppard nodded his head and returned the card. “That sounds like a plan. I will keep looking Atticus. Truesdale will be found and I will count on you to help make that happen. Just keep Syrus, Jaden and Chumley out of trouble. I have heard rumors they are all a handful.” Sheppard cracked his first grin since Atticus walked into the office.

Atticus chuckled for a second before accepting the card back. He put it gently back into his carrier and nodded his head. “I will keep them in line, Chancellor. Zane and I made a promise years ago that we will always look after the other’s younger siblings. He would have been there for Alexis and I am here for Syrus.”

“You both always looked out for one another, it made me happy to see he made such good friends in both you and Mr. Fujiwara.” Sheppard stood up. Extending his hand to Atticus, the Obelisk reciprocated and they shook hands. “I trust you will tell me anything you find, and I will do the same.”

“Of course Chancellor.” They stopped shaking hands and Atticus retreated and began making his way to the Slifer Dorm.

*****************************************************************************************************************

Atticus finally reached the dorm and made his way to the room where the three Slifers he was looking for were. He knocked on the door and waited until the door was opened. Syrus was sitting cross legged on the floor with the photograph in his lap. His eyes were not leaving it, as if thinking that if he did, it would disappear from him. Atticus gave a sad smile.

“Hey Atticus, we talked with Syrus and he is all caught up. We all are going to agree and say we were not anywhere near it.” Jaden piped in. Atticus nodded his head in understanding.

The Obelisk walked over to where Syrus sat and sat next to him. He looked at the image as well and felt a burst of sadness, but hope welled up as well. If Sheppard truly had not given up and was doing what he could do, there was a good chance that they would find Zane and possibly even Yusuke.

“Syrus?” Atticus tried to get the younger teen’s attention.

“Hmm?” Syrus looked up at Atticus.

“What do you remember?”

Jaden and Chumley sat down on the other side of them. Both were intently watching and listening. This part Syrus would not talk about yet, at least he said not until Atticus was there too. Apparently he needed to say something important.

“I remember the guy blinding Chumley and me. Once he did that, he grabbed me because I was the smaller one. When he dragged me down to the basement, he hit me hard enough to knock me out. Somehow, I had this nightmare where these little black, inky things were coming for me. When I tried moving backward they followed. Suddenly blue flames appeared in front of me and a man stood there. He was taller and was dressed in all black.” Syrus paused for a moment. “I felt like I should know who it was. But he had a mask on that covered his face. The only visible parts were his mouth and jaw. The mask’s eyes glowed red and then I came to back in the dorm.”

The three of them all looked at Syrus, not sure what to make of what he just revealed. Jaden rocked back and forth, trying to think. Chumley looked around the room, not sure what this meant. Finally Atticus simply looked at Syrus and then back to the photograph in his lap. Sucking in a breath, he pulled out his deck.

“Syrus.” He waited until light blue eyes met his chocolate ones. “This was Zane’s and I found it after he went missing. It needs to be with you until we find him and you can return. It was his most prized card.” He gave Syrus Cyber End Dragon.

Syrus could not believe that Atticus was giving him. He had seen this card when Zane first came back from duel training overseas. He was protective of it, not letting anyone touch it and it was always kept in his deck holder when he wasn’t dueling or strategizing. The card was worth more than gold to Syrus. He would look after his brother’s card and be able to give it back one day.

“Thank you, Atticus. Thank you for everything.” Pulling the card and photograph, Syrus let some tears fall and felt Atticus pull him into a hug, saying it was ok and they would find him soon. That was the promise made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are getting closer guys. As always thoughts and comments welcome. Do you think Syrus will put the pieces together? What do you all think will happen next? I hope you enjoyed this.


	5. The Missing Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off I would like to say thank you to everyone who is reading this story. A very large thank you to PinkCloudiness626. I thoroughly enjoy reading your comments after each chapter. This chapter was a little bit different, not sure why the inspiration for this one went this way, but I will take it. Hope you all enjoy it, as always comments and thoughts welcome. Enjoy!

CHAPTER FIVE: THE MISSING LOVE

A few more days passed and Atticus was no closer to any new leads on Zane than he first disappeared. Syrus took the picture out of the frame and now carried it in his folder everywhere he went. The Cyber End Dragon was also in his possession. Both were treated as if they were more valuable than anything else to the younger teen. 

Atticus made his way to the lighthouse and just leaned his back against the structure while looking out over the crashing waves once again. The number of times he came out here was starting to increase again. Hearing footsteps he looked over to see his sister walking down the path to him. She smiled softly and stopped in front of him. Both siblings stood there in silence for a moment.

Finally Alexis used her hand to move her long blonde hair off her shoulder. She turned her large hazel eyes to look at her brother. He was staring off into the waves and not paying any attention to her at the moment, or so she thought.

“Alexis? Everything ok?” Atticus asked. His gaze turned back to her and she continued to stare at him. Worry etched on her face and Atticus felt a little guilty, this must be how it feels to worry someone like this.

“I am worried about something I heard around the school Atticus. And about you as well." Her voice is quiet. She knew he carried essentially survivors guilt after both his best friends disappeared. The thought that he would do something drastic and possibly dangerous was a thought that never quite left her mind.

“What have you heard around the school Lexi?” he asked, using her childhood nickname to garner a smile. It worked a little bit, when her lips twitched.

“I heard about the intruder, the one who was spotted around the abandoned dorm, about how he disappeared. And also, that some students heard Dr. Crowler talking to himself about how he hired a person to scare off Jaden.”

Atticus felt his body stiffen even more. It was notorious that Crowler had an ego as big as his pride. To be defeated by a duelist who was now ranked as a Slifer Red more than likely grated on him to no end… still it didn’t give him the excuse to send a ‘shadow duelist’ after them. And Syrus, who was an innocent in all this, was the one caught in the cross hairs.

Grinding his teeth, he tried to keep his head and wits about him. Alexis just confessed that she was worried about him and he needed to let her know that he was alright. He wasn’t going to vanish like Yusuke and Zane. Both had acted strangely before they went missing. Atticus watched his surroundings at every turn. Nothing was going to catch him unaware if he could help it.

“I’m fine Lex, promise. If Dr. Crowler has such a problem with Jaden, then he needs to take it up with Jaden. If he is responsible for the person who was spotted around the island, then he needs to be dealt with,” Atticus was furious about what Crowler did. The man’s ego and vanity knew no bounds if he was willing to risk innocent lives. Sheppared would be hearing about it as soon as he got proof.

“Any word on what happened with Chazz?” Alexis asked her brother. Somehow the older sibling heard all about gossip and found information that Alexis was pretty sure no normal person could find out.

Chazz had lost in a duel to Bastion and left the campus without so much as a word. No one was able to find him and even Jaden and Syrus were worried. Jaden had a good heart, Atticus was coming to realize. He looked out for people around him and wanted to protect everyone, Atticus could respect that. Especially when he wanted to help look out for Syrus.

“No, I haven’t. Chazz wasn’t anywhere near the abandoned dorm, so there is a good chance that he isn’t the latest victim of this whole thing. However, it would have been nice if he would at least have mentioned to someone that he was going to be leaving.”

Alexis looked shocked at her older brother. If Atticus of all people had not heard what happened to Chazz, then he must have really covered his trail. Which posed a whole different concern, was it the mystery coming alive again and spririting students away? Or did Chazz choose to leave and just not say anything.

Both siblings fell into a companionable silence as they looked out over the water reflecting the setting sun, lost in their own thoughts. Things like this, this is what Atticus missed doing. No guilt eating at him, no second guessing his actions. For a brief moment his mind was calm and at peace. He would take it for however long it lasted.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Syrus sat on his bunk and had the folder open. Inside he kept the picture of his brother. The eyes stared back at him, and he felt a pressure on his chest. He had been studying, and practicing his dueling. Promotion exams were coming up and he wanted to pass. His brother had made a name for himself here and Syrus didn’t want to be a shadow on that.

Cyber End Dragon sat in a card protector, on the other side of the folder. Jaden one time wanted to touch it and get a closer look he said. He claimed he felt a duel spirit in it, but Syrus wasn’t so sure. Syrus slapped Jaden’s hand, probably a little harder than necessary, and glared at him. This card was precious to the shorter teen. The fusion monster emanated a strange warmth and Syrus soaked it up. It felt as if there was possibly part of his brother in this card.

“Syrus!” Jaden’s voice broke through his thoughts.

Syrus jerked and almost fell off his bunk. Looking over, he saw Jaden looking at him with a manic grin on his face. The same type of look he gave Syrus on the plane over and it left a sense of foreboding. Raising his eyebrows he cocked his head to the side, looking at the Slifer who was bringing him out of his shell.

“What is it Jay?” Syrus asked, scooting so he could climb down the bunk beds.

“Come on, we are going to be late for dinner tonight. Remember Professor Banner said we have another student starting in our dorm. I want to meet him!” Jaden was always excited at the prospect of another person to duel. The brunette lived and breathed dueling.

“Yeah, ok let’s go.” Syrus was getting hungry so he followed Jaden to the little mess hall. Most everyone was seated already, Chumley saved Jaden and Syrus a spot near him. He had become reinvigorated about dueling since meeting the two of them. Now all three were best friends and nearly inseparable.

“Hey Chum, thanks for saving us a seat,” Jaden exclaimed.

The last two Slifers sat down and everyone was chatting away. Syrus pulled out his brother’s picture and sat it next to him. Jaden and Chumley had learned to not comment on why Syrus would bring the picture with him everywhere. If it made him feel better, then let him do it. 

Atticus was also insistent that Syrus be allowed to have the picture and card with him. No one went against something Atticus ‘King’ Rhodes said. Back when there was still ‘The Twin Jewels of Duel Academy’, if one of them said something, you did it. No questions asked. The chattering continued until Professor Banner called it to a halt.

“Attention students. May I have your attention?” His voice carried enough weight with the students and they started to quiet down almost immediately. “Chumley stop chewing with your mouth open!” He exclaimed.

All eyes went to Professor Banner as he stood there. He was a taller man, stick thin with long black hair that was pulled back and fell to his waist. His cat Pharaoh was hanging in his arms. The glasses he always wore reflected in a way that was strangely creepy and his eyes always seemed to be closed for some reason. His smile was always ready as he looked over the students of his dorm.

“Good, now that I have everyone’s attention, I would like to introduce a new transfer student, Blair Flannigan.” He stepped to the side and allowed the small student to step forward.

The boy was smaller than Syrus somehow. He had big brown eyes and wore a hat that covered his head. Everyone stared at the kid and Syrus felt kind of bad for him, since he looked very uncomfortable. Sliding closer to Professor Banner, as if for protection, Blair looked around the room.

“Welcome to Slifer Red dorm Blair,” Jaden yelled out. The sound of his voice apparently pushed Blair over the edge, because he ran behind Banner and hid.

“Jaden, hold on my boy. You see, it is academy policy that all transfer students start out at Slifer, but with his high scores on the tests, he will be moved to Ra Yellow in no time,” Professor Banner quickly explained.

“Oh well…” Jaden trailed off slightly uncomfortable.

Professor Banner smiled at the three in the back left corner. An idea clearly forming in his mind. Looking down at Blair he motioned the young boy forward. “Blair, meet your roommates. Jaden, Syrus and Chumley. They will make you feel welcome for your time here,” Banner said excitedly.

All three of the students that were just named felt their stomachs bottom out. They had been using their dorm as a meeting place to talk about how to find Zane and the other missing students. Now with another roommate they couldn’t do that. Also when you think about how things are physically supposed to fit into the small room, it was not going to work.

“Hello,” Blair spoke to them. His voice cracked a little as if he had to cough or was getting over a cold.

All three looked at one another and then at Professor Banner. The smile on his face was one you really could not argue with. Finally Jaden forced a smile and motioned Blair to sit with them. He scooted over so the boy could sit next to him while Chumley and Syrus sat on the other side of the table.

The evening meal continued without interruption. Syrus quickly slid the photo of his brother back into the folder and forced a smile and talked with Blair. Apparently after watching Nationals a couple years prior, he got into dueling. The champion of the time took a moment to talk and mentioned Duel Academy and if he trained and studied he could enroll and expand that passion.

“That is an awesome story Blair. Why don’t we show you where you will be staying while you are in the dorm with us?” Jaden stood up and motioned for the others to do the same.

They made their way to room 2A and when they walked they noticed that somehow Professor Banner managed to get a mattress moved in while everyone was at dinner. All the better so there wouldn’t be the need to share beds.

Everyone took turns showering and once everyone was changed into pajamas, they all laid down for the night to sleep. As always, Syrus kept his folder on the bed with him. The photo of Zane as well as his prized card were next to him at all times. One day, and hopefully soon they would find his brother and they would be a family again. This was the last thought he had before closing his eyes and succumbing to sleep.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Every student was called for an assembly in the largest lecture hall. They all stood with their dorms and in front of them was a giant screen that currently had the Duel Academy logo on it. Apparently there was an extremely important message to be heard today. Jaden, Blair, Syrus and Chumley all stood together. For a first night all in the same room, it went well.

Blair was the quiet type which meant Syrus got along with him great. A few tricklers came in and Syrus saw Atticus and Alexis. The Rhodes siblings really had taken him under their wing, especially Atticus. He waved and they smiled and returned the gesture. Blair watched and was curious who they were. Large brown eyes kept scanning looking for something or someone it appeared.

“Hey guys, you beat me here. I didn’t have to come and drag you.” Atticus fake sniffled at the small group. He placed a hand over his heart and the other pretended to dab at his eyes. “I feel like a proud father.” A smile broke across his face.

“Ignore my brother you guys,” Alexis snarked and laughed at the wounded look her older brother shot her. 

The siblings seemed to notice Blair finally as the newest addition to the group was wide eyed staring at the two highest ranking students this term. They made a striking pair and the vibes they gave off was something out of the world.

“Who do we have here?” Atticus asked.

“This is Blair, a transfer student. He is in our dorm room temporarily until his placement to Ra comes through,” Syrus explained.

“Nice to meet you,” Blair said softly.

Atticus and Alexis smiled again, this time with warmth and genuineness. “Welcome, Blair. I hope you are settling in alright. Ignore the jerks around here and if you need anything don’t hesitate to ask.” Alexis was the one to offer which was a shock.

The dinging of the bell signalled the assembly was about to start. The two older students waved goodbye and walked to the front of Obelisk Blue. There they stood, tall and proud. An impassive mask seemed to settle over Atticus’ face and Syrus cocked his head in confusion. Atticus was not an impassive person.

“Good morning students!” The face of Chancellor Sheppard appeared on the screen. His jovial face was split in a wide gin. “I just want to remind you of the upcoming school duel match against our rival North Academy. Last year, our representative, Atticus Rhodes, wiped the floor with them. I want to win the school duel again this year. As of now we have not chosen a duelist. So study hard and duel with all your might. You may just be the one who gets the honor. Have a wonderful day students.” The message clicked off and the screen once again showed the emblem for the school.

Jaden burst forward, eyes alight with glee. “Did you hear what he said? I could be dueling this year!” He was vibrating with excitement at the mere thought.

Syrus sighed and crossed his arms. “Or me Jaden, but let’s face it. Atticus is the top duelist at the school. It will more than likely be him again.”

Jaden pouted at the thought, his dreams crushed for a moment. “Why do you say that?” His question came out petulantly.

Blair looked at them in confusion. Chumley was the one that noticed since his other two roommates were debating on who would get the honor of being in the duel.

“What’s wrong? You look lost.”

Both Jaden and Syrus looked at Blair and noticed that he was staring confused. Blair looked over to where Atticus stood talking with Alexis. Both looked serious and Atticus put a hand on his head and rubbed, clearly having a headache with whatever he was hearing.

“I thought Zane Truesdale was the top duelist in the school,” Blair said.

Syrus froze for a moment and had to count to 10 so he wouldn’t lose it. Jaden and Chumley looked at Syrus worriedly. Even though he pretended to be ok, any mention of his brother was liable to send him into either a torrent of tears or a panic attack. Jaden looked around and managed to catch the eyes of Atticus. Motioning him over, he pointed at Syrus. 

Atticus crossed the room quickly and smiling a little too wide, he slung an arm around Syrus. “So what are we all talking about over here? Taking bets on who will be in the duel this year? I want in on the action if that is the case.” Atticus was good at many things, and diversion was one of them.

“Hey it could be me ya know!” Jaden challenged.

Smirking, Atticus nodded his head. “Of course it could be. Who knows what the future holds. Or maybe even your friend, Blair here.”

“It should be Zane,” Blair challenged.

The whole world seemed to stop. Atticus was shocked and confused. How did this kid know about Zane? Obviously no one knew the real story, they were given an excuse that Zane wanted to train abroad. 

“You knew Zane?” Atticus asked quietly. Alexis managed to make it over then and heard the tone of her brother’s voice. It was never a good thing when he started talking like that. A cold shiver went down her spine.

“I saw him at Nationals a couple years ago. I fell in love... with dueling then and there. I wanted to meet him again,” Blair said, a light flush staining his cheeks.

Alexis and Atticus noticed it and both looked at one another. This was an odd reaction from a young boy. Something that deserved more investigation.

“Zane is on a sabbatical. He wanted to duel and study abroad. Since he and I went back and forth for top spot each term, it was awarded to me, while he is away,” Atticus said the line he had told a million times in the past two years.

Blair stared at them and then took off running. Jaden was confused and looked to Atticus who nodded, saying he had Syrus. Following Blair out of the school, he chased the small boy to their dorm room. The door was shut before Jaden could get there. Using his key, he opened the door, just as Blair took off the hat.

Standing frozen, Jaden saw a long cascade of black hair fall down his… no HER back. This was insane. Seriously insane. Apparently, Blair wasn’t paying attention to the door being cracked open as she riffled through things in the room. Jaden peered through the doorway and cringed when she came across the photo of Zane, Syrus had forgotten there because they were running late.

She blushed and rubbed her face on the image. It was the creepiest thing he had seen. Stumbling back, the floorboards creaked and Blair squeaked inside the room. Finally deciding, Jaden pushed the door open.

“So you are a girl?” The words were forced out and confused.

“You can’t tell anyone. I mean it Jaden, I want to be here when Zane returns from his studies abroad. I need to be!” Her voice raised a little.

“Hold on Blair. You don’t know everything and yeah I kind of do. Or at least tell me why it is so important for you to see Zane.”

“Well I can be a fan can’t I? I mean Syrus here has a photograph of him. I saw it last night at dinner. I wanted to ask, but you interrupted me and I didn’t get the chance.”

Jaden’s face took on a hard note. That was uncalled for in his opinion. Blair really didn’t get it, so he figured he would enlighten her. “Zane and Syrus are brothers Blair. So that is why he carries that picture with him everywhere.”

Shock showed on her face. They looked nothing alike and they held themselves differently, how on Earth were they related, she wondered. Before she could ask any of her questions, Jaden interrupted again.

“Fine, if you won’t tell me, then duel me. I can get all the answers I need that way. Easy, peasy.” Jaden’s confidence was coming through and Blair nodded in agreement. 

If she could win the duel, then her secret would be safe. One step closer to seeing Zane again.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus had managed to keep Syrus busy and his mind off what the new student said. Syrus had asked him to tutor and help with studying. They both were sprawled on the floor of the room where Atticus lived.

The carpet was softer than the mattresses in the Slifer dorm. The walls were gorgeous warm colors and the bed was a king size. A small living area, complete with a couch, table and television. Books and papers were spread out, while Atticus attempted to break down the different types of spell cards for Syrus.

Suddenly the door thrust open and Alexis ran in. Her hair was wild and she was trying to catch her breath. Both Atticus and Syrus jumped to their feet when they saw her. Atticus rushed to his sister and put his hands on her shoulders, making sure she wasn’t injured.

“You guys need to get down to the rock side of the island. Blair and Jaden are dueling. It appears that all the answers we need are really revealed in this duel.” Turning on her heels she ran out of the room again.

A few minutes later, four duelists, two Obelisk and two Slifers were standing at the top of the cliff side watching the duel unfold. It was a back and forth with Jaden continually playing male monsters against the maiden.

Finally wising up, he played a female and the duel turned in his favor. The group of four sprinted down and when they reached the bottom, Blair’s life points hit zero and she fell to her knees. Her long black hair created a curtain around her face.

“I suppose I have to tell you my secret now, huh Jaden?” she asked, defeated.

“Nah, I got more than enough from our duel. I think our spectators got enough as well.” Jaden pointed to them.

Atticus stepped up, he had done a little digging, and found something very interesting out about Blair. He felt like he was about to be the serious bad guy. The wind from the water misted his hair and pushed in his face. As he made it closer to the young girl, he pushed it out of his eyes.

“Blair, Zane is my best friend. I know he would be glad that you seeing his duel inspired you to become a duelist. But you can’t trick your way into people’s hearts. Look how that turned out for your Maiden. She lied and in the end she ended up alone. When he comes back, and you are old enough, then enroll here. Show him how much passion you have for dueling.”

Atticus knew Zane would kill him for this if he could hear it. But he couldn’t take the words back now. Besides, he would take that any day just to have his friend back here with him.

Reaching out a hand, he motioned her to follow him. “It’s time for you to go home now Blair. I am sure your parents are worried.”

“Wait, she is a student here Atticus. She doesn’t have to go anywhere. Are you afraid of the fact that she is strong? Afraid she will take your title from you?” Jaden jokingly jabbed.

Atticus stared indifferently at Jaden. This was a waste of time. “She has to go home Jaden, because she is only eight years old.”

The news caused Jaden to go sheet white and fall backwards. Syrus and Chumley stumbled back in shock as well. Alexis smiled, she saw the information her brother gathered so her shock had come and gone.

Atticus rolled his eyes and made everyone follow him. The night ferry was waiting and would take Blair back home.

Everyone stood and waved goodbye. Another friend made that day, and another day down. Somehow it seemed as if there was a countdown going of days until they found Zane. The hope in all of them kept them going.


	6. A Great Honor

CHAPTER SIX: A GREAT HONOR

A teenage boy sat on the floor of the dirty cell that had been his home for the last six months. His usually pristine white coat was covered in dirt, dust and even a little blood. His legs were drawn up, arms wrapped around them and his head rested on his knees. His hair had grown longer, falling in jagged layers around his face and down his shoulders. 

There was so much pain in not just his body, but his head. Every day since he was brought here, and he wasn't even sure how much time had passed, he was forced to duel against insane people. One was a vampire, another an Amazoness and a group of five that were actually duel monsters. The list of insanity went on.

Raising his head, his teal eyes looked straight forward when he heard the sound of dirt being crunched under what had to be feet. Sure enough there stood a person he had yet to identify. He wore a mask and a hood over his head. The coat wrapped around his body was held together by a red tie at the neck.

"You are awake, Mr. Truesdale." The distorted voice made it a statement. 

Zane looked impassively at him. It wouldn't do any good to fight with his body in this state. Given just enough food to keep him alive. But he was weakened, felt as if he teetered on the edge of death.

"No answer for me? You should know, you were selected out of all the other students in the school to help with our plans. This is a great honor to be selected." 

A key was inserted into the lock and Zane felt his heart stop. Every time he was let out of this cell, pain unlike any other was made a constant in his life. His captor opened the cell door and walked inside. Zane narrowed his eyes and watched carefully. 

Kneeling down in front of the strong willed student, the man opened a book and as soon as he did, the green symbol came to life. Zane felt dizzy as he looked at it. Trying to think of reasons to keep fighting, Syrus, Atticus, his family… anything. Pain once again sliced through his head, as if a knife was being taken to his memories, systematically removing them.

"Just lean into it my boy. Once you give yourself to the shadows, the only pain you will feel is when you are losing a duel. However since you have never lost before, that shouldn't be a problem." The man put what could have been a comforting hand on his shoulder and squeezed. 

The world around Zane tilted and he realized that was because he fell to the side. His brain felt as if it were bleeding, his body felt ready to give out. Teal eyes open only in slits watched the man close the book and stand up. The little strength he felt he had was slowly disappearing. Another sound caught his attention before blessed unconsciousness took him.

"Is he still fighting Amneal?" A voice Zane had not heard before asked.

"Yes. But I used a stronger shadow magic this time. Using it to carve out his memories as he thinks of them, that way he will fall under our wills much quicker," the one called Amneal responded.

Now more than ever, Zane wished he had his card spirit with him. A hold on reality, some kind of hope. But when he was knocked unconscious the first time, he woke up to his deck holster open and Cyber End Dragon missing. 

He hoped that Atticus or even Sheppard found the card- A sharp pain sliced his mind again. A gasp escaped his lips and both men looked down at the boy lying on the floor. 

"Give in my dear boy. Once you do, all that pain will cease." Amneal's voice was the last thing he heard before his mind shut down from the pain.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Syrus woke with a start. He jumped so hard he almost slammed his head on the bed above him. His stomach rolled and he felt bile rising in his throat. Cold sweat rolled down his head and neck.

Throwing the blanket off him, he jumped out of bed, throwing his shoes on he ran out. The only thought he had at the moment was to get to a place he could be ill. The pain from that dream felt so real, it felt as if he were Zane and living through that.

Barely making it to the bushes, Syrus leaned over and threw up everything he had eaten in the last 12 hours. Syrus didn't understand what the dream meant, only that it seemed so real and his brother was hurting. Now more than ever he wanted to find Zane, find him and make sure nothing like this ever happened again.

Syrus was so busy purging the contents of his stomach, he didn't hear someone come up behind him. When a hand settled on his back and rubbed, Syrus jumped. Whipping around he breathed a sigh of relief when it was only Jaden.

Jaden had awoken the same time as Syrus. Somehow he had seen the dream as well and Winged Kuriboh had to comfort him. He was positive that Cyber End Dragon was a duel spirit. The card was still somehow connected to Zane and he and Syrus just saw a glimpse of what Zane either went through or was still enduring.

"Jay? Sorry if I woke you up. I think the dinner didn't agree with me," Syrus tried to use that as a good excuse. 

Placing his hand on his friend's shoulder, Jaden gave a gentle squeeze. "Sy, I saw it too. I told you before I really believe that Cyber End Dragon is a duel spirit and it is always connected to your brother. What you and I just saw, that confirms it for me."

Syrus stared uncomprehendingly at Jaden. Was he saying they both saw that dream… but that wasn't possible. Unless… it wasn't a dream at all, but somehow real. The thought brought the ill feeling back and Syrus turned back around to be sick once more.

After Jaden helped Syrus to bed, he told Syrus he would be right back. He wanted to go talk to Professor Banner and tell him Sy was sick. Reaching the door to where Professor Banner stayed, Jaden knocked on it.

Moments later, the door opened and Professor Banner stood there. His long black loose, his glasses off and he was in sleep clothes. Jaden felt slightly bad for waking the teacher up, but this was important. 

"Jaden, is everything alright?" His voice was concerned.

"Not really Professor Banner. Syrus just got really sick in the bushes at the base of the dorm. I woke up when he ran out and found him. I just got him back in bed," Jaden explained. No point mentioning that he and Syrus shared a nightmare. 

Alertness shot through the head of the Slifer dorm. He quickly went back to his bed, grabbed his glasses and walked out. Slipping on his glasses, he followed Jaden to his room. Jaden let the professor in first and followed.

A small light was on, and Chumley sat awake with Syrus. Both turned their heads to see the unexpected visitor. Syrus had a death grip on the fusion monster in his hand and he looked at them with real pain etched into his face.

"Jaden tells me you are feeling ill Syrus," Banner stated. He walked over to the beds and placed a cool hand on the younger one's forehead. "You are slightly warm. Do you want to go to the infirmary?"

Syrus shook his head. All he wanted was his big brother back. "No, I really think the dinner just didn't agree with me." Syrus used the same excuse he gave Jaden. 

Professor Banner seemed to mull it over and finally hummed in acknowledgement. He looked at all three in the dorm and gave a small smile. "Alright, but why don't you take the day today and rest. I will excuse you. You are probably right my boy."

If Banner noticed the way both Syrus and Jaden tensed up at the use of the phrase he didn't say anything. After the shared dream, both of them didn't want to be called that at all. The teacher turned and walked out the door, bidding a farewell and closing it softly. 

Jaden looked to Syrus, hoping he wasn't going to get sick again. Syrus was sheet white, rigid as a steel pole and looked ready to pass out. Walking over, Jaden stood on the edge of his bed to get a better view of the card his friend refused to let go of.

"Sy, please let me get a look at it," Jaden tried pleading again. He already slapped Jaden’s hand once, but maybe now he would listen and realize what he said was true.

The young duelist looked at his friend and realized Jaden wouldn't do anything to the card. Taking a breath, he handed over the card and let Jaden get his first good look.

Jaden grasped the card gently and looked down at it. Winged Kuriboh appeared on his shoulder and pointed a claw to the card. It chattered in Jaden's ear. Ever since Jaden received this card he could understand it, and right now it was telling him that Cyber End Dragon was definitely a duel spirit. There was a strange power and warmth radiating from it.

Jaden forced a smile and gave it back to Syrus. What they saw was real, Cyber End wanted to share what it felt its master going through. Make them believe that Zane is still alive and fighting to come home. But how long could he keep holding out?

"Sy, that card is definitely a spirit. It's connected to your brother and wanted us to know he is still alive, fighting whoever has him. We will find him," Jaden spoke as if saying out loud would make it true. 

Syrus gave a watery smile at Jaden. The brunette teen was a rock for everyone and right now Syrus desperately needed that. He looked to the other roommate, Chumley and proceeded to catch him up on what happened. 

Chumley leaned over the edge of his bed thinking about what he was being told. It was crazy, but for both Jaden and Syrus to describe the same thing… there had to be some truth to that.

It was all too surreal. Looking at the pale faces of his two friends, Chumley resolved to do whatever it took to stand by them. All three climbed back into bed, they had a few hours before class was due to start. Without the nightmarish vision returning, the three Slifers slept for a few more hours.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The rays of sun as well as the knocking on their door, woke the three sleeping teens. Syrus, was the one who woke first. He stretched and yawned before he got up and walked to the door. Pulling it open Syrus saw Atticus standing there.

The older brunette Obelisk looked at Syrus in concern. The younger looked sick, face pale and small smudges under his eyes. His spiky blue hair was in disarray. Stepping inside Atticus looked closer at Syrus.

"You ok Syrus? You look like you had a rough night," Atticus said, concerned. 

Syrus nodded his head. "It was a bad night. Jaden and I had the same dream…" Syrus shuddered remembering it.

Atticus raised his eyebrows and walked in the door, when Syrus moved aside. Seeing Jaden and Chumley still sound asleep on their beds, Atticus shook his head and sighed. He felt like their father, making them get ready for school, getting them to breakfast, lunch and even dinner. He drew the line at making them shower and dressing them, they were more than old enough for that.

“What happened in the dream Sy? It was just a dream.” Atticus tried to soothe him, but he suspected that it wasn’t just a dream at all. The look of horror and terror on Syrus’ face said it all.

Syrus and Jaden regaled Atticus with what they saw in their dream, just as they did with Chumley a few hours prior. Through the whole thing, Atticus was silent. He leaned against one of the desks and had his arms crossed. He found it as a feeling of comfort and he felt as if it was needed right then. Hearing that little segment that they saw Zane possibly enduring… When they did find him, what kind of shape was he going to be in both physically and mentally?

“Did you tell Professor Banner about this dream you two?” Both younger Slifers shook their heads in the negative. Syrus shuddered again and Atticus caught it. “You alright? Something else happened I need to know about?” Atticus questioned them.

Both boys looked at one another and finally Jaden sighed. He looked toward Atticus and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his pajama pants. Every student had the standard issue set. They were blue and white with the academy logo on them.

“Well, it sounds stupid to say out loud… but after the dream Sy and I are kind of jumpy. See when the guy in the vision called Zane ‘my boy’ it was said as if it was a taunt.” His brown eyes slid to meet Sy’s blue ones. “Then when Professor Banner came to check on Syrus last night… he said ‘my boy’. Like I said, it sounds stupid… but it creeped us both out and made us wonder is all,” Jaden finished explaining.

Atticus thought this over. It was very possible that it was just remnants of a nightmarish vision they saw, but he learned to trust his instincts. Uncrossing his arms he placed a hand on a shoulder of both the boys in front of him. He gave a small smile and squeezed their shoulders.

“Learn to trust your instincts. As duelists we often have to rely on those to help us win. So if you feel something is off trust yourselves. Don’t let him know what you are feeling, but don’t lower your guard either. Just stay safe. I am already missing two people I cared for, and I don’t want any others to follow that same path.” Atticus sounded the very pinnacle of ‘protective big brother’ at the moment.

He glanced at Jaden and smiled. “By the way, I just wanted to let you know, I nominated you for our dueling representative for the school duel, Jaden. Apparently North Academy is using a first year, and in the spirit of competition Chancellor Sheppard asked if I would be ok stepping down. Obviously the answer is yes. After seeing you handle yourself against the guy from the abandoned dorm, I know you can handle anything that North Academy throws at you. But a quick warning, Dr. Crowler named Bastion. So you guys will end up dueling for that spot.”

Jaden couldn’t believe it! He had been only half joking that he would be in the school duel… and here was the big man on campus, Atticus ‘King’ Rhodes telling him that he nominated Jaden Yuki for this spot. It was a dream come true after a horrific nightmare.

“I will make you proud Atticus!” Jaden yelled.

Laughing, Atticus turned them both around and shoved them toward their beds. “Glad to hear it. Now get dressed, we all have class and you will have a duel to prepare for today.”

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Even though Professor Banner told Syrus he would be excused, the younger Truesdale still decided to join the class today. He wanted to be there, so when classes were released a little early he could. But he had one stop to make first.

Even with the sun up, the abandoned dorm still looked creepy. It had a higher metal gate around it, obviously to deter people from getting in. But Syrus wasn’t looking at getting in at the moment. He placed a flower down in front of the stone column. 

Standing back up, he looked at the dorm and pulled out Cyber End Dragon. The card still had a warm feeling that Syrus soaked up. Wondering if his brother could feel what the card did, if that was the case then Syrus would make sure to put as much love and care into the card to give his brother hope. Pulling the card closer to his chest, he held it against his heart.

“Wherever you are big brother, I will find you. Hopefully you are able to hold on a little bit longer, just let us find you and rescue you,” Syrus whispered under his breath.

Turning on his heel he walked back to the school campus and made his way to the classroom. Professor Banner was coming from the other direction, and Syrus tried not to flinch. The professor looked Syrus over, noting that while he still looked pale, he didn’t look so ill anymore.

“How are you feeling Syrus?” he asked.

“I am feeling a little better. I don’t want to miss class, and I haven’t gotten sick since right before you came in the room last night. I apologize for having Jaden wake you.”

Banner waved his hand. “Nonsense. My students come first to me. I am glad you are feeling a little bit better so you can watch the match between Bastion and Jaden. It is sure to be a great match. It is such an honor to be selected, isn’t it my boy?” Banner had that cheerful smile on his face.

But for a moment, Syrus could only see the cloaked figure he saw hurting his brother. He froze again, as Professor Banner patted his shoulder and made his way into the classroom. Syrus was left standing in the hallway for a moment, unable to move. Even with the horror pushed to the corner of his mind, he still saw Professor Banner as this ‘Amnael’ person for a moment.

It could just be a coincidence that they say the same things? Right? What was it Atticus said? Trust your instincts. Syrus would be doing just that, and keep an eye on Professor Banner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am a full believer in trusting your instincts. We try to rationalize things and sometimes miss what is right in front of us. So Syrus deciding to do just that, is going to play a big part. As always let me know what you all think. Hope you enjoyed the little taste in this chapter. I always had a headcanon that Zane and Cyber End Dragon were strongly connected. Like Jaden and Winged Kuriboh, but the dynamic was different. So even though Cyber End isn't with him physically, it can still feel the pain and torture Zane has endured during his time in the shadows. There will be more flashbacks regarding Zane from here on out.


	7. Finding Your Place

CHAPTER SEVEN: FINDING YOUR PLACE

The duel arena was packed with students to watch and see which first year would be the one to compete in the school duel. Jaden and Bastion were on the duel arena platform while most of the student population were sitting in the chairs. There were two students who were standing on the outer ring of the arena. The Rhodes siblings were watching the duel unfold below.

“Well now, it seems as if Bastion is living up to his reputation as a genius. With a single move, he dismantled Jaden’s entire deck strategy,” Atticus mused.

“Don’t sound so impressed bro. He just took away Jaden’s ability to use his fusion monsters,” Alexis argued with him.

Atticus started down at the stage with interest. He leaned on the railing, with his face resting on his right hand. His chocolate eyes scanned what was going on and he smiled. This was turning out to be a very impressive duel.

“Well that may be all it takes to win this. Jaden’s deck is centered around his use of fusion monsters,” Atticus said with a laugh. 

His eyes went around the arena and his mood plummeted. Even though the place was buzzing with excitement, he felt slightly down. His analysis was what Bastion accomplished was something Zane would have said. Atticus was always the one who used his heart, Zane used his head and it was what made them such great rivals and friends.

Somehow while Atticus was busy with his musings, Jaden turned the duel around and managed to use his Elemental Hero Wild Heart and an equipable spell to destroy Bastion’s spell card. That move dealt the last 500 points of damage and allowed Jaden to take the duel.

"Well now it seems that when it comes to Jaden, Bastion really miscalculated," Atticus said with a small smile. 

"Maybe, or maybe some strategies you just can't figure out," Alexis responded. 

Both siblings looked at one another and laughed. This was turning out to be a great year, the first years really showed promise. When they finished sharing a laugh, Atticus turned his attention back to the stage below. All three Slifers were jumping up and down. Syrus and Chumley surrounded Jaden in a group hug. Bastion was next in the line, they all pulled him in.

"Well guess Bastion didn't count on being pulled in for a celebratory hug. Jaden is just a huger I guess," Alexis mused with a grin on her face.

Atticus nodded and both of them made their way down to congratulate them both on a fantastic duel. And to wish Jaden the best of luck at the school duel.

"Nice job Jaden. You did me proud," Atticus proclaimed as he climbed the steps up.

Jaden whirled around, his eyes a wild happiness in their depths. His excitement was palpable and it made Atticus glad he recommended Jaden for this duel. The younger duelist was practically vibrating with excitement at the thought of being in the upcoming duel. The Obelisk threw his arm around Jaden's shoulders and gave a one armed hug. He found himself liking Sy's friends and considered them friends as well.

"Thanks Atticus! Thank you for recommending me!" Jaden's voice was pitched high in his excitement. 

Atticus nodded his head in acknowledgement. He turned his attention then to the first year Ra Yellow, Bastion. Tilting his head in recognition, he offered his hand and a smile.

"Amazing duel Bastion. You really love up to your reputation of the first year genius. I hope I get the honor of dueling you this year. I haven't had a good competition in awhile," Atticus said.

Bastion's dark eyes widened. He ran a hand over his perfectly slicked back hair. This was the 'King' of Duel Academy giving him such a compliment. It was beyond his wildest dreams. He accepted the hand and they shook.

"It would be my honor for such a thing," Bastion replied earnestly. 

"Good, I look forward to that day."

Students had begun filing out of the arena at the end of the duel. Now only a few stragglers as well as the six on the platform remained. Chancellor Sheppard was one of the few people left. He walked up to the group with a beaming smile on his face.

"Congratulations, I haven't seen a duel this action packed and riveting since Rhodes and Truesdale went toe to toe." He paused for a moment to take a breath and collect his thoughts. "Anyway, Jaden the school duel is in three days. You have that long to prepare. When the time comes you will stand beside me to meet and welcome North Academy. Mr. Rhodes was right to recommend you. Make us proud Mr. Yuki." Sheppard smiled and waved as he turned and left.

The teens left standing there all looked at one another. Syrus felt as if his face was frozen in place, his smile was stiff and his cheeks hurt from forcing it. Jaden looked worriedly at his little friend, wondering if he was going to be alright. Syrus proved he could hide it though, he blinked back tears and once again gripped Jaden in a hug.

“I am so happy for you Jay! You wanted this and now you get to have your dream come true!” Syrus all but yelled.

“Dinner is on me tonight at the Obelisk dorm,” Atticus stated. He smiled at the three Slifers, then turned his attention to Bastion. “Would you like to come as well Bastion? More the merrier.”

Bastion blinked, eyes wide. An invitation to the Obelisk Blue dorm for dinner? A dinner with the ‘King’ of Duel Academy… how could he say no. Smiling Bastion nodded his head. “It would be an honor to have dinner with all of you.”

Smiling Atticus, with his arms around Syrus and Jaden, led them out of the arena and across the island to the Obelisk dorm. On the way there the talked turned from the duel that just occurred to the one that was coming up. Jaden all the while just walked with his hands behind his head, laughing and getting excited about the duel coming up.

The opulent Obelisk dormitory stood before them. It was multiple stories and looked like a castle with its white paint and blue rooftops. The windows were old style with rounded top and flat bottoms. Lights in various rooms were lit and the first years followed the Rhodes siblings through the front door. No one dared to say anything about the Slifers and Ra duelists in their dorm.

Winding their way through the hallways they came upon the dining room. It was an open circle with a top wrap around level. Students were milling around and made what when the doors opened to reveal the six duelists. People gave a wide berth when it came to the siblings, they were not to be trifled with. Atticus especially now, he used to be the outgoing and easy going one, but after the disappearance of his two closest friends, he closed off a bit.

Walking up the line of food on the buffet, Atticus and Alexis moved to the side and motioned to it. Atticus gave a goofy smile and in a grand gesture, he swept his hand out to the table.

“Help yourself to whatever your heart's desire from this buffet. Let’s enjoy this dinner party before the school duel, then we will have the after party when Jaden wins,” Atticus said and the other teens devoured the meal.

Everyone had a wonderful time that night. Bastion got his chance to talk with the only other person in the school who had higher scores than him. Jaden spoke with Alexis and got a promise out of her to have a duel in the near future. Syrus had Cyber End Dragon in his pocket and pulled it out to look at it when Chumley dragged him into a conversation.

At the end of it Bastion walked back to the Ra Yellow dorm while the three Slifers made the long trek to their dorm. The school duel was only a couple days away and Jaden was thinking about what was going to happen.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The day of the school duel finally arrived, all of Duel Academy waited on the docks to see who the challenger would be. It was unprecedented to have two first years duking it out. The first and last time that happened was two years ago. Zane Truesdale, a first year Obelisk Blue, had been chosen from his test scores and duel experience. He wiped the floor with North Academy’s third year representative.

Imagine the surprise on everyone’s face at Duel Academy when Chazz Princeton, former Obelisk Blue, walked off the boat to the dock. Shocked and betrayed faces met his impassive one. He had changed his Obelisk Blue uniform jacket for a trendy black outfit complete with the jagged cut of the jacket.

“I am here to redeem myself, Slifer Slacker! Don’t expect an easy duel,” Chazz yelled at Jaden. Apparently the two of them went against each other and Chazz felt disrespected.

Before any response could be made the noise of a helicopter cut it off, apparently Chazz’s brothers decided to make a debut and broadcast the entire duel around the world. Both school directors broke it up and the challengers were sent to get ready for the duel.

The arena was filled with students once again, only this time it was students from two different schools. When Atticus and Alexis saw Jaden enter the ring he looked upset and conflicted, a rare look. Glancing around the room, Atticus thought about two years ago, when Zane took on the third year.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus and Zane were standing on the raised platform. The younger teal haired duelist was attaching his duel disk and taking his deck out of the holster and slid it into the holster. His blue coat was form fitting and a darker shade than his hair. His eyes glinted with anticipation, Atticus noticed.

“Man, you are going to kill this duel. You have been preparing for weeks. But I guess being the top isn’t all it's cracked up to be. You get dragged into doing what the Chancellor has in mind, including all the pressure for this.” Atticus was doing what he did best, joking to break the tension he felt.

“Atticus, I am going to give it my all and I have no plans on losing.” Zane flipped through his cards and pulled out his ace monster, Cyber End Dragon. “With this in my deck, I have great odds.”

The brunette Obelisk looked at his friend. Zane never let that card out of his sight, and he held it as if it weighed more than gold. Sometimes he wondered if there was more to the card than Zane told him.

“Attention duelists, please make your way to the arena. Everyone else, find a seat,” Chancellor Sheppard announced into the microphone.

Atticus looked at his friend and gave him a high five and a smirk. “Make sure you show this arrogant third year what a true talent first year can do. Knock him dead.” He made his way to a seat next to Yusuke.

The third member of their group was saving a spot for Atticus. He looked up as Atticus walked over. Sitting down, the two friends smirked at one another. They knew this was going to be a quick duel, Zane was prepared for any contingency that might happen. Yusuke’s blue eyes glinted with amusement.

“I am willing to bet, this will be a one to three turn knock out,” Yusuke said. He ran a hand through his shoulder length hazel/green hair.

“Don’t think I will bet against that. Zane has been eager for this for weeks. When Sheppard told him he would be doing this, the look of excitement was the best thing I have seen,” Atticus responded with a laugh.

“Duel!” both Zane and his opponent shouted.

“Who goes first?” the North Academy student asked.

“You can go,” Zane offered, face impassive.

Atticus and Yusuke looked at one another. It was a mistake to let Zane go second. His monsters were better off when he went second, which this poor unfortunate soul was about to find out. Shrugging shoulders, they didn’t get too comfortable. This guy seriously underestimated his opponent.

“Your funeral first year,” he responded. Summoning his dragon monster in attack mode, he set a facedown card. “Your move.”

Zane drew a card and a smile played on his lips. He looked up and his two friends noticed the glint in his teal eyes. That combined with the smile, meant this was definitely going to a one turn KO. Both shook their heads and laughed under their breaths, and even that drew attention.

“First I activate the spell card, Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your facedown.” The card was destroyed. “Next I play Pot of Greed and draw two cards.” Zane drew his cards and flipped one around to show. “Next I will activate the magic of Power Bond! With this I can summon a machine type fusion monster and with three Cyber Dragons in my hand I have the perfect monster in mind. Welcome Cyber End Dragon.”

The three headed machine dragon looked majestic as it stood large behind him. Zane stood with his arms crossed and smirking at his opponent. This was far too easy, his monster had no special ability, and his facedown was gone. A one turn KO was not what he wanted, but Cyber End told him to go for it.

“And with Power Bond’s special effect my monster’s attack points are doubled from 4000 to 8000. Now Cyber End Dragon attack, Super Strident Blaze!” Zane moved his arm out as the order came.

The third year from North Academy just stood stupefied. This could not have happened. Zane clicked the duel disk closed and walked to the center and extended his hand. “Thank you for the duel.”

The third year stared in shock but remembered to shake his hand. Stunned silence rang for a moment, but when Atticus and Yusuke stood up and cheered and clapped the rest did as well. Their friend wiped the floor with a third year and did so while showing respect at the end.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

That was one of the last times they had together before everything went to hell. First Yusuke’s disappearance, then Zane’s strange actions and then his disappearance… Atticus felt melancholy thinking about it.

Cheers rang out around him. Jerking back to the present. Jaden apparently won the duel. A genuine smile tugged at his lips, hoping the others could catch him up on what happened. He didn’t want to burst Jaden’s bubble by telling him that he was lost in his memory from two years ago.

Chazz was kneeling on the floor looking close to losing it. Atticus felt a little bad for him, clearly his brothers were horrible to him. He hoped Chazz could find the place he truly belonged. His chocolate eyes unknowingly slid to Jaden, maybe the Slifer could change him as well.

But the decision would have to be his. For now, they all had a duel win to celebrate with their friends. Keeping the hope alive to find his two best friends and forging connections with new ones. One day down and one step closer to an answer, Atticus could feel it in his bones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to get this out yesterday. My internship had me working 11 hours yesterday. I was beat by the time I got home. But hopefully you all enjoyed this. Let me know what you all think. Did you like the flashback? Things are getting closer and I am getting really excited to write it. Comments and thoughts welcome. Enjoy!


	8. A Dangerous Decision

CHAPTER EIGHT: A DANGEROUS DECISION 

Syrus lay in his bunk once again, sleep evading him. He only had lived through small flashes of seeing Zane in his dreams. Grabbing the fusion monster card he held it above his head and looked at it. He knew he needed sleep, but when he closed his eyes he saw Zane either being forced to duel against people that took pleasure in causing pain or him kneeling on the ground gripping his head in what could only be described as agony.

Sighing, he placed the card back on the pillow next to him and closed his eyes, hoping for some uninterrupted sleep.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The older Truesdale brother staggered as he took yet another hit to his life points. He now only had 1000 left. Glaring up at the vampire woman who was his opponent again, he wished he had the power to drive a stake through her heart. If Professor Banner’s horror movie collection was to be believed then that was the only way to kill one.

“What’s the matter dear? Ready to give in to the shadows? Don’t worry, I will be with you and we can be together for eternity,” the vampire spoke with a thick Romanian accent. The sound grated on his nerves.

Trying to think, sharp and stabbing pain crashed in his head similar to waves. Whenever he tried to think about what gave him a reason to fight, the pain intensified. All he wanted was the pain to stop. At this point he thought he would do anything.

A light glow came from a pocket hidden in his now dirty white jacket. The vampire saw it and raised her eyebrows. Zane opened his jacket and took out the card, it had a pitch black aura coming from it. He heard dark laughter coming from it, and glancing at the vampire mistress he saw she didn’t.

“I can help you Zane,” a dark voice said. “Together we can get out of here and all you have to do is become my host, Kaiser.” The voice used his academy nickname, gathered from his memories.

Gritting his teeth, Zane stared at the card and again glared at his opposition. He wanted to get out, he wanted to go… the pain became excruciating once again. Placing a hand on the side of his head, he staggered. At this point he was ready to agree to anything just to cease the pain.

“Come on Kaiser. Don’t you want to end Camula? Don’t you want to get out of here alive?” The card dissolved into mist and reformed into a strange mask. It was sheer black. Two sharp horns and a sharp lower part that looked like it would cover the nose. Blue jewels were in place of the eyes and a red jewel on the forehead.

“Your friend Yusuke gave me to you, to protect you. I am going to do just that, slide me on your face and all the pain you are feeling will stop. You will stop them from ever hurting you again,” the sinister voice promised.

“Who are you exactly? Are you the reason Yusuke acted so strangely?” Zane couldn’t help but ask.

“You can call me Hellshroud. I am going to help you get out of here.”

Zane felt his resolve waver, all he wanted was to leave. Fighting day in and day out had taken its toll on his body. He felt as if his heart was going to give out and at times he struggled to breathe. Forcing himself to take a breath, he did as the mask recommended. He quickly learned it was the most idiotic thing he would ever do.

Once the mask was on, it seemed to become part of him. He could feel darkness swimming inside his body, taking over his mind. But as the entity in the mask promised, the pain seemed to stop. Feeling as if he was a passenger in his own body, Zane watched as his body straightened and drew another card.

The vampire, who he guessed was named Camula, took a step back. It gave the teen a strange sense of satisfaction to see her cower for a moment. A maniacal laugh came from his lips, but Zane knew it wasn’t him. The mask had completely taken over and he was feeling exhausted enough to let it.

“My move Camula.” Drawing a card, a sneer appeared on his face. “I activate the magic of Power Bond, fusing my two Cyber Dragons together to create Cyber Twin Dragon.” The two headed twin to Cyber End Dragon appeared behind him. “Thanks to Power Bond, the attack points are doubled. Now Cyber Twin Dragon, again both her monster and her directly.”

Camula backed up in fear. This was not the boy she had been dueling. That mask had taken over and now he was part of the shadows, same as the rest of them, only clearly much more dangerous.

With the double attack, Camula's life points hit zero instantly. She slumped to the ground and her head down. The laughter started again and she looked up.

The boy was looking down at himself. A sneering grin on his face as he turned his back to her and walked out. The tails of his jacket flapped with the movement as did his longer teal hair.

"It's good to be back."

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

In a moment of deja vu, Syrus jerked up in the bed. This one felt as if it were happening in real time, not a memory fragment Cyber End Dragon was showing him.

Swallowing back the bile rising, he tried to breathe. He wanted to lean down and talk with Jaden but the other Slifer wasn't making a sound. Thinking for a moment, Syrus remembered that Jaden was a snorer. Leaning over the edge of his bed, he peered to the bunk below him.

Jaden lay there, eyes wide with sheer terror. His brown eyes met Syrus' blue ones. This one was so much worse. Zane caved and now he wasn’t him anymore. How were they going to rescue him?

Syrus read the same conclusion in his friend's eyes and he started to hyperventilate. Jaden jumped up and grabbed the pager phone each student was given at the start of the year. He scrolled through the contacts until he found the number he needed.

The other line was ringing. Jaden looked over at his shaking and tearful friend. Syrus looked absolutely destroyed by what they saw and felt. Granted that scene could have happened a long time ago, but it just seemed too recent. Like they were so close but now have lost him.

"Hello? Jaden?" The calming voice of Atticus came across the link.

"Atticus, we need you at our dorm! We had another nightmare vision… it was bad," Jaden heard his own voice crack. Next he heard shuffling.

"I will be right there," Atticus said. The line clicked off.

Jaden set the device down on the desk and turned back to Syrus. Chumley was now awake and looking confused. He looked down at Jaden and tried to look at Syrus now cowering under the sheets. His form was curled into a ball and everything was shaking.

"Sy…" Jaden couldn't bring himself to try and give comfort. He was also traumatized by what he saw.

Suddenly the dorm door clicked open and in rushed Atticus. His dark brown hair was wild from both sleep and running. He had only a black high neck shirt and his sleep pants on. The usual white jacket had been hung up for the night. He looked around the room and saw Sy’s form.

Taking a breath he went over and tried to pull the blanket from the younger teen. When he managed to get them back the look of pure anguish was clear on his face. Syrus was gripping the photograph and card so tight it was leaving an indent in his hand.

Atticus felt sick looking at this scene. He turned to Jaden as he put a comfort hand on the sobbing Syrus. He gritted his teeth.

"What happened?" he demanded, his voice pitched low.

So Jaden filled both Atticus and Chumley in at the same time. Syrus gave occasional whimpers and head nods. His cheeks were tracked with tears and his eyes red. Through the whole thing Atticus remained silent, his mind having trouble processing it.

"You are sure this mask used the name Yusuke?" He felt as if he was going to be sick. Neither Syrus nor Jaden had ever met Yusuke.

"Yeah, apparently he gave the mask to Zane to protect him. According to the mask and then it seemed to take over Zane," Jaden replied.

Atticus was quiet. There was no explaining this away. They both were saying names of people they had never met. It was clear that the situation was far more dire than they realized. Before anyone else could speak, Syrus gasped.

Everyone turned to look at the short teen. His eyes were wide as if something just clicked. He stared ahead, not really looking at anything but past everything. 

"That mask… it looked like the one on the person who saved me at the abandoned dorm. The one that protected me from those creepy, little shadow things."

Everyone looked at him, Syrus had told them about that dream… No one took it seriously. Really Syrus was hit and knocked unconscious, of course he was seeing things and what better person to imagine rescuing him than his missing big brother. But… that seed of wonder and doubt was in the way of what they considered logical thinking.

Atticus gripped Syrus a little tighter, he worried for the smaller duelist if they were truly too late to get Zane back.This was a disturbing development and needed to be discussed… preferably when they all had their wits about them. It was the middle of the night, they all had a long day with the school duel and the after party.

“Why don’t we all get some sleep. I can crash on the floor if you guys have an extra blanket. We will talk in the morning, after we get some sleep. Everyone is exhausted and we need clear heads to decide how to handle all this new information,” Atticus made the decree.

All three Slifers nodded their heads and Jaden turned to the closet and grabbed another blanket. He wondered how an Obelisk, who was used to luxury, was going to handle sleeping on hard carpet. But Atticus didn’t so much as flinch as he stretched out on the floor pulling the blanket over him he laid his head down on his arm. His tired chocolate eyes slid shut and the others did the same.

Once the lights were off, Atticus opened his eyes again and looked at the three Slifers he took under his wing. Jaden was laying on his back with his eyes closed and looked to be trying to get to sleep. His face was pale and it was drawn. Moving up one bunk was Syrus who was facing away from Atticus toward the wall. His shoulders shook slightly, clearly still crying silent tears from the dregs of the nightmare vision. Chumley on the top bunk was snoring and already asleep.

Turning on his back, Atticus stared at the ceiling, wondering how they were going to get Zane back to them and hopefully free from the entity possibly possessing him. Even more disturbing was why did Yusuke have that mask? Why did he give it to Zane? These and so many more questions raced through his mind.

It was clear, there was not going to be anymore sleep for him tonight. He resigned himself to watching over the three younger duelists in their beds. Nothing would get to them if he could help it.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus was still awake when the first rays of sunlight came through the slit in the drapes. Atticus sat up and stretched, his back was killing him. The floor was not the best place to lay, but he wasn’t about to leave them alone last night. He stood up and raised his hands above his head, smacking his knuckles on the ceiling.

He glanced at the others, Jaden and Syrus finally fell asleep a few hours ago and he figured he would let them sleep. Before he could continue his musings, there was a knock on the door. Glancing, he saw they were all still sleeping. Shrugging his shoulders, he went and answered it. On the other side stood Professor Banner.

Banner looked slightly shocked to see the school’s top duelist in the Slifer dorm. He was already dressed in his usual white button down and black pants. His unruly hair was pulled back and his glasses reflected the rising sun.

“Atticus? What are you doing here?” Professor Banner asked, shocked. Pharaoh meowed as if asking the same thing.

“I came to check on them. I had something I wanted to ask Jaden about his duel, but apparently they are not morning people.” Atticus forced a smile, even though he felt like he was about to be sick from lack of sleep and worry. “I am heading back, they are pretty exhausted after that whole fiasco.”

Banner nodded his head, as if agreeing. “Well, I was just stopping by to tell them that I expect Jaden, Syrus and Chumley to be coming on the field trip tomorrow morning. We are going to the ruins on the other side of the island. It will be exciting.” His face lit up with an idea. “Would you like to come? It has remnants of the original shadow games.”

Atticus felt his eyebrows shoot to his hairline. Shadow Games? According to Jaden, the person Zane was dueling against mentioned something similar. This could be a great starting point, and better yet Professor Banner was inviting him.

“I would love to. I am actually interested in learning about these ‘Shadow Games’. I heard some information about these. Who all is going?” Atticus stepped out of the room and closed the door. Both men were standing on the wrap around porch.

“Well it is Jaden, Syrus, Chumley and myself. If you are excited to go I would love to have you. It has been sometime since a student from the Obelisk dorm has been interested in one of my classes.”

“What other Obelisks have gone on these field trips with you?” Atticus couldn’t help but ask.

“Well some of the last ones were Zane and Yusuke,” Banner responded.

Atticus felt his world tilt again. Two of the missing students, his best friends, had gone on this field trip with Banner. This just might be the answer to most of the questions he had, if not all. He forced a smile and nodded his head.

“I would love to go Professor Banner. When is it?”

“It is tomorrow morning. We leave at dawn.”

After nodding his head and making his way to the Obelisk dorm, Atticus glanced in the direction of the abandoned dorm. This may be the final piece of the puzzle, and the final information they needed to get to bring him home. Even if it would be a battle, he was ready.

They would bring home Zane and hopefully Yusuke this year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure why this chapter turned out this way, not going to lie. It just happened but I am not to upset about it. Like I said, there will be flashbacks of what happened to Zane during his time in the shadows. What do you all think of Syrus telling everyone what he thinks of his 'savior' from a couple chapters previously? Next chapter will get into the field trip and then we hit the Shadow Riders arc. I am so excited to hear what you all think. What are your prediction for how this will go. What changes do you think will happen? Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments. I really enjoy reading them.


	9. Dangerous Field Trip

CHAPTER NINE: DANGEROUS FIELD TRIP

Atticus was walking to the Slifer dorm the next morning, thinking about the field trip he was about to go on with three other Slifers and their teacher. The first rays of sun were coming over the horizon and the grass was still fresh with dew. 

The flared back of his white jacket flapped in the breeze as he walked. It was a cool morning and he hoisted the backpack further on his shoulder. He packed some lunch and another shirt in case the weather changed. Lifting his head to the sky he smiled slightly, he felt slightly optimistic about this. Things were moving along.

Something caught his eye and he stopped. Sitting on the cliff edge was a figure clad in black, with spiky black hair. Chazz. Atticus had been meaning to try and talk with him. He made the decision to do just that, and made his way to the cliff’s edge. Plastering a practiced smile on his face, he reached Chazz and dropped his backpack.

“Hey Chazz dude. How are you doing?” Atticus tried to make his voice as carefree as possible.

Chazz startled and turned around to see Atticus standing there, in his Obelisk glory. Gray/black eyes were wide as he stared up and followed his form as he sat down on the dewy grass next to him. They both sat there for a few moments in silence, enjoying the companionship they had for the moment.

“Is there something you wanted?” Chazz couldn’t help but ask.

“Actually all I wanted to do was talk to you.” Atticus placed a hand on the younger’s shoulder. “Your brothers… what they said, don’t listen to them. You have more value than what they said. And I think that you finally realized it for yourself. You found the place you truly belong.” He gave the thin shoulder a squeeze. “Everyone here cares about you. Remember that.”

Atticus stood up and did his signature finger wave and winked at him. Grabbing his backpack he made his way to the meeting point for the field trip. Chazz stared at his back and for the first time in his life, he felt as if there was something to fight for here. He felt accepted.

Before Atticus left, he turned back one last time and threw a smile over his shoulder. “And if you want, I am taking a number of people as younger siblings. Feel free to join in on this, more the merrier in this case. Take care Chazz dude.”

Reaching the clearing where the others waited, Atticus noticed that even Alexis was standing there. She had a backpack thrown over her shoulder and she eyed her brother walking up to them. He had an easy smile on his face, but his eyes were hard and determined. She knew that look and quite frankly she pitied his friends once they were found. They would be lucky to have any moments alone.

“Hey, Lexi. What are you doing here?” he asked as he reached them. Waving and smiling at the others there they waited for Professor Banner.

“I wanted to come and see what all the hype was about.” She glanced at where Jaden, Syrus and Chumley were sitting a little ways away. “Jaden told me about what he and Syrus have been seeing. I want to make sure you aren’t the next one to disappear here.” She lowered her voice so the Slifers would not hear them.

Atticus winced, he now knew that she had been worried about him. It wasn’t what he wanted. Giving a small smile to his younger sister, Atticus saw the tall, stick thin professor making his way over. His smile was wide and a little manic.

“Good morning students. Hello Alexis and Atticus, so glad you both could come with us. I always love having upperclassmen with us. Now let us go,” He turned to go and saw Syrus holding Zane’s card. “Where did you get that Syrus my boy?”

Syrus jerked as if he were shocked. His wide eyes as he looked frantically around for some support to answer. Atticus stepped over and placed a hand on Syrus’ shoulder. He grinned a little too widely down at the younger Truesdale.

“So Zane gave you a similar card to the one he had huh? That is a neat thing to do, the Truesdale bothers decks,” Atticus lied through his teeth and all the students here knew it. However it seemed as if Professor Banner bought it.

He smiled even wider and laughed. Nodding his head rapidly he turned quickly and motioned them to follow him with a wide arm gesture. “We shall be off. We are hiking to the other side of the island.”

All the five of the students gave a groan. The Slifers were not much into physical activity. Atticus was more of a surfer and Alexis was a swimmer. This was not their idea of fun.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

They reached the part where they were going to do some investigating. It was ruins of pieces of buildings and an archway. Mounds of dirt and grass were scattered around. They all sat down to eat lunch before they started digging. Professor Banner apparently brought pizza and wasn’t going to share.

“Now, where did I put that lunch…” He felt a furry head. Grasping, he pulled out a furry head. “You were supposed to stay at the dorm! Not come with and eat all my lunch!” Professor Banner wailed. He looked longingly at the students eating lunch and laughing at him openly. “You wouldn’t happen to want to share that would you?”

All of them gripped their rice balls a little tighter and shifted away from him. Jaden cracked a grin and nudged Atticus on the side he pointed at Banner and laughed again.

“No, we need this food to learn your boring lessons. Prof.” Everyone laughed again. Jaden had a way of making everyone around him cheer up instantly.

Before anyone could give another response, a blinding white light reached them all. They all passed out from the shock and blinding pain in their eyes.

Atticus opened his eyes and tried to move to rub his eyes. Panic set in when he realized that not only could not move, but he was wrapped up tighter than a mummy. His eyes widely went around him to see he was in… in a freaking coffin?!

“What the hell happened?” he yelled.

“Big bro? Are you awake?” Alexis yelled.

“Alexis? Where are you?”

“Stuck in a coffin.” Her voice cracked. For the first time in her life, she sounded scared. Alexis was one of the calmest and fearless people he knew. This set off all his protective instincts as her brother.

He started to struggle in earnest. This was not happening, he was not going to let anything happen to his sister. Not while he was around. Freezing for a moment, he had a sickeningly thought.

“Syrus? Jaden? Chumley?” He counted the three Slifers as younger brothers.

“Atticus? I don’t know what is going on,” Syrus called back.

“I am here too. Although I am sure hungry,” Chumley yelled back.

“I am here too, if anyone cares,” Professor Banner yelled out.

If Atticus was being honest with himself, he wasn’t as concerned for Professor as he probably should have been. If they were in the same situation as he was, it was insane. Realizing he didn’t hear one voice he went still.

“Jaden?” He waited for an answer, except none came. “Has anyone heard or seen Jaden?”

“No,” Alexis responded.

The sun in the strange sky continued to beat down on him, and if this were not a dire situation, Atticus would consider it his lucky day to work on a tan. However in this situation he was nearing a panic moment. The sun continued to blind and him and he closed his eyes.

“Guys!” Jaden yelled. Atticus opened his eyes and saw Jaden leaning out over a window and staring down at them. “Hang on I will save you!”

Atticus almost snorted, he would save them? They were wrapped tighter than mummies, at least he guessed the others were as well. They were in coffins and in a strange place.

“Move towards the sharp object? You gotta be kidding,” Jaden exclaimed loudly.

Sharp object? What the hell was going on around here? The lid of the coffin over him started to slide closed. His chocolate eyes widened with real fear at the moment. Never once did he consider himself claustrophobic, but this was making him reconsider just the thought.

He saw Jaden walking with a group and the leader was a tall man with white robes and a black covering over his head. Jaden didn’t look happy and in fact looked apprehensive. It was not a good look on the first year Slifer.

Even knowing his life was more than likely hanging in the balance, he felt dizzy and tired. The many nights of no sleep were catching up with his worn out body. The last he heard clearly was Jaden and the other man yelling “Duel!”

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Zane stood before the one known as the Grave Keeper. He stood tall and proud looking down at the young teen. The older Truesdale was dirty, exhausted and felt like he was walking through hell. This duel was even worse than anything he thought possible.

“I attack with Grave Keeper’s Assailant,” the Grave Keeper yelled.

Zane gritted his teeth and looked to his left and reminded himself he had a face down card. A small smirk pulled at his lips. Moving his arm to the side he revealed it.

“I reveal my facedown card, Call of the Haunted. I bring back Cyber Dragon!” The metal dragon appeared in front of Zane and the monster attacking faltered but continued. 

Once the attack landed, Cyber Dragon blasted the monster and the damage dealt to his opponent was enough to send his life points to zero. Zane breathed a sigh of relief and nodded his thanks to his Cyber Dragon as it vanished.

“You have dueled well, young one.” He shifted his head covering and pulled out a broken medallion. It was attached to a rope and had an ancient design that reminded Zane of the seven millennium items. “Take this shadow charm, it will protect you on the path you are walking.”

Zane cringed, the last time he heard something similar it was when Yusuke gave him that mask, that was not a duel card. The card felt like it weighed a ton and not in a good way. He held out his hand for the artifact. Placing the rope around his neck, he let it rest on his chest. The fact that it blended into his jacket, just drove home how dirty his jacket had become since he was yanked to this strange world.

“Thank you for your help. I will use this with reverence,” Zane stated with respect.

The woman he met earlier came up to him. She held out a hand and he shook it. “I will make sure the others are freed as agreed. I hope to meet you again one day,” she whispered.

Zane nodded his head and turned to leave, through the rainbow archway that reappeared.

Atticus felt as if he were watching this. That was Zane, granted he was thinner and his hair was longer reaching down to his shoulder blades, but that was him. He wanted to reach out and call to his friend. But his voice wasn’t working.

Suddenly blue flames appeared in front of him. It was the same kind of flames that Syrus had talked about. Out of them appeared a man clad in all black, with teal hair and the same medallion around his neck as the one that Zane was given. A sinister black mask that Syrus and Jaden described rested on his face.

“Zane? Is that you? What happened to you?!”

The figure remained still as a statue and just as silent. Finally, flames blazed around him and Atticus flinched away from them. They didn’t really burn, but it was terrifying just the same. He covered his face but moved his arms almost immediately.

“I am not playing games Atticus!” A voice similar to Zane’s yelled but it was not his friend’s voice. Zane was never that cold. The flames seemed to blast him back to reality.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus jerked up and realized he was free. He was dripping in sweat and breathing harsh and ragged. His heart felt as if it was going to jump out of his chest. Alexis knelt in front of her brother and placed a calming hand on his shoulder. He was the one to comfort everyone around him, now he needed some.

“You ok Atticus? You passed out,” Jaden explained.

Atticus looked up and saw Jaden along with everyone was alright. He just started to get his breathing under control that was until he saw what was around Jaden’s neck. It was the other half of the medallion, the one that Zane had around his neck. Feeling his breath seize in his chest, Atticus started coughing.

Alexis rubbed his back as she looked at Jaden in confusion. Thumping his chest, Atticus stood to his feet and looked at the people around him. They made an angry mob clothed in all black and carrying spears and daggers. They moved in on the group and a quick flick of daggers drove them back. A woman in black stood in front of them.

Her hood fell down and Jaden looked shocked, but not as shocked as Atticus felt. This woman spoke with Zane and knew him. She looked him dead in the eyes and nodded her head, as if nodding to his silent inquiry.

“Challenger, when you get back to your world… tell the owner of the other half of that medallion, that Yasmin is still in the other world. That I have not forgotten about him and hope to meet again.” Her voice was quiet but authoritative.

Jaden rubbed his cheek in embarrassment. “Oh boyfriend,” he laughed. Everyone sighed and shook their heads at Jaden.

Atticus felt too much in shock to do anything. If they were not warned they might not have known that the portal was about to close. Running as fast as possible to the portal they all jumped through.

Waking up again, Atticus noticed that Alexis was asleep on his shoulder and the others were scattered around, also all asleep. Rubbing his head, Atticus wondered if that was all a horrible hallucination. He might have written it off as that… had he not glanced at the half medallion that Jaden now wore.

The fact of the matter was, that all just happened. Zane had done it before any of them… and they were closer to him now. But was it too late?

No, Atticus refused to believe it. They were so close and this might just be the final missing piece. He would tell them what he saw… well when they all woke up anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quite frankly this chapter would not work out in my head. I wrote and rewrote this all day. This was the best I was able to come up with. I do not like writing the duels that are shown in the anime because I don't want to tarnish them. Now upcoming duels I will be writing because there will be major changes. Especially the next one. It is finally here, the Shadow Riders Arc. The whole reason I started writing this AU. What did everyone think of the duel? Any ideas or predictions for how the next chapter will go? Love reading the comments. Thanks again.


	10. One Mystery

CHAPTER TEN: ONE MYSTERY

The night was stormy with a blood red moon in the sky. Duel Academy Island was being drenched in the cold rain. However below ground there was a group of sinister people lying in wait, just needing the right moment to strike. 

“Now is the time my soldiers. We shall cover the world in shadows, our allies are in place, our enemies have been tested. Now who among us is going to go first?” The voice asked the darkness of the underground cavern.

Scattered around the cavern, red eyes appeared. The forms of many different individuals started to form from the shadows. They all looked to one another but one the youngest member of the group stepped forward, the eye spots of his mask glowing an ominous red.

“I will be the first to go. None here can stand against me.” The form of a teenager with teal hair reaching to his shoulder blades in jagged layers proclaimed arrogantly.

“Hell Kaiser, I will leave this to you. Lead us into battle.”

Placing a duel disk on his left arm he smirked. “The Academy's prize will be ours.”

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Chancellor Sheppard stood in his office looking out the window. A strange feeling was settling in his gut, it was a bad feeling, but the feeling of optimism as well. Knowing what he was going to be doing in the morning, he had no reason to be optimistic.

In the dark, Sheppard could swear he spotted a dark clad figure flying to the island on… his eyes widened. A silver slinking form was in the sky with a dark figure atop it. Riding it as if the person had done so a thousand times.

“Impossible… That was…” Sheppard couldn’t even finish his sentence. It seemed too far fetched to even try and comprehend.

The Chancellor turned around and pulled out the stacks of files on the six students he needed for this war. It was going to be asking more than a lot to have his students put themselves in harms way like this. Luckily the ones he was picking had either proved themselves as strong duelists or were making strides to do just that.

Looking at the names, he steepled his fingers and rested his forehead on them. The war was beginning and the first round was now. He prayed his students had the courage to do this for him as well as for the world.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

By the time the sun rose the storm had passed. Everyone was either in classes or lingering in hallways for a bit. The group that consisted of Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, the Rhodes siblings and Bastion were lounging near Professor Banner’s classroom. They had a new member for the first time today, Chazz Princeton.

They were discussing what happened the day before. Jaden regaled them of what happened with duel and Atticus leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and eyes closed. The vision he witnessed still weighed on him. He hadn’t told the others yet, Jaden would not shut up about the duel against the Grave Keeper.

“And that’s what happened,” Jaden finished. He lifted the medallion which was glowing off and on, and looked at it. “I wonder who the owner of the other half is. Maybe we can be friends.” Jaden smiled at the thought of another friend.

“I have a feeling I know,” Atticus whispered.

Everyone turned to look at him surprised. He had been unusually quiet and reserved since the whole ‘Shadow Games’ incident. Alexis looked at her brother next to her and placed a gentle hand on his bicep. She waited until he opened his eyes to look at all of them.

“Did something happen to you there bro?”

Chazz and Bastion looked at one another in confusion. Jaden had been the one talking and apparently there was even more to the story with Atticus now. Neither Bastion nor Chazz had thought to go on the field trip and were equal parts relieved and disappointed, it seemed as if some really interesting things happened there.

“You could say that. When we were in the coffins, I ended up passing out, I don’t even know from what. But when I did, I saw another duel taking place, one that was years prior. Zane had been there first and defeated the Grave Keeper. He has the other half of the medallion,” Atticus dropped the bomb without warning.

Everyone was stunned into silence. The group stared at the oldest among them with various expressions of shock, disbelief and curiosity. Syrus felt his eyes getting larger and the blood leaving his face. If Atticus had seen this, then that would explain his recent reclusivity. It was probably a shock to be telling both Jaden and himself that it was all nightmares and to hold on to hope. Now… there wasn’t much hope to hold onto.

The speaker system in the school chimed on. Everyone stopped talking and listened to what was about to be said. The system was rarely used, usually if something had to be relayed the instructors did it or they gathered in front of the giant screen to have Chancellor Sheppard tell them what they needed to know.

“Good morning students. I need the following students to report to my office. Atticus Rhodes, Alexis Rhodes, Jaden Yuki, Bastion Misawa, Chazz Princeton and Syrus Truesdale. I also need Dr. Crowler to report as well. Thank you.”

The group all stood frozen as eyes from other students rested on them. This was not a good thing, to be called into Chancellor Sheppard’s office usually meant you were in for it. Panic was clear on the faces of all of them. They all looked at one another and waved to Chumley as they all left to see what Chancellor Sheppard wanted with them. And whose fault it was they were in trouble.

They all made their way in silence trying to figure this out. None of them could think of anything recently that would get them called here. They reached the door and Dr. Crowler opened it and stepped aside letting the group of duelists in. Standing behind his desk stood Chancellor Sheppard.

He turned away from the window and looked at the seven people he called to his office. His face was grim and it made the hearts of every student sink. This was not going to be good.

"Good, you all came. There is something I have to tell you and to quite honestly beg for all your help. Below the school, buried deep in the island are three dangerous and catastrophic monsters. They are known as the Sacred Beasts. They are said to be able to bring about an era of darkness over the planet and annihilate us all.” 

He paused to look at the faces of his six students and one instructor. They were all pale and wide eyes looked back at him. The feeling of guilt was creeping up his spine and was making him feel ill. They were teenagers, teenagers that should be worried about studying, dueling for fun and even parties. They should not be worried about the fate of the world, but he needed the best and here they were in front of him.

Alexis Rhodes gulped in fear and she blinked her golden eyes. A sweat drop rolled down her face as she stared back at the head of Duel Academy.

Bastion Misawa, the top Ra Yellow student, stared with fear widened eyes and whispered, “Annihilate us all?”

Chazz Princeton, the student who just returned to Duel Academy and was starting to show signs of being himself, narrowed his eyes and raised an eyebrow as he made a sound in the back of his throat. Sheppard couldn't tell what kind of sound it was, or even what it meant.

Jaden Yuki, stood in between Chazz and Syrus. He had his hands on the back of his hips and gave a little smile. The fact that he smiled in the face of all this made Sheppard wonder what really went on in that head of his. And then the first year Slifer opened his mouth.

“So where are these cards? I say we take them and see what they can really do.” His voice held absolutely no care in the world.

Dr. Crowler leaned across the desk where he was standing next to Sheppard and waved a fist at Jaden. His long blonde hair was pulled back, and his Obelisk blue jacket was strangely accented with pink frills at the neck, waist and on both wrists. He also chose to wear purple lipstick and dangling earrings from each ear. The man was truly a fashion statement to himself.

“Haven’t you been listening?!” Dr. Crowler screeched. That single act caused Jaden to widen his eyes and take an involuntary step back.

Sheppard decided to break this up before it went too far. He leaned down and pulled out the box that contained the very thing all seven Shadow Riders were hoping to acquire. “This is why I called the seven of you here. To protect these cards from wicked ones.”

For the first time Atticus seemed to become interested in this. He blinked large brown eyes at Sheppard, before narrowing them once more. “The wicked ones?”

“Yes, that’s right. Seven duelists who want to use these cards for their own wicked goals. They are known as the Shadow Riders. And one of them arrived last night in the middle of that storm.”

Bastion leaned forward and nodded his head. “Naturally. What better way to get on the island unnoticed.”

Alexis looked at him over Jaden’s head. She nodded in agreement with the Ra Yellow. “Ok, so let’s say we help. How do we even protect these cards?”

“By protecting the seven spirit keys.” He opened the black box in front of him. Inside was what looked like a puzzle of seven keys. All different shapes. “In order for these Shadow Riders to get to the cards they need to get these keys and unlock the seven gates. There is one for each of you to guard.”

They all gasped in understanding. Bastion was the first to speak what everyone was thinking. “Wait, so we hold the keys… won’t that make us the targets for these people?”

Sheppard sighed sadly and looked at each of them in the face. “It’s true, with these keys the Shadow Riders, WILL seek you out.”

Chazz scoffed at that. “Uh, ‘seek us out’, I think you mean TAKE us out. How are we supposed to fight them?”

“They can only take you out in… a duel,” Sheppard dropped the bomb. That one phrase got everyone to straighten up and gasp. Understanding lighting in each of their eyes. “That’s right, fortunately for our side, the keys can’t simply be stolen. Some sort of ancient edict demands they must be won in a duel. And for that I have gathered Duel Academy’s seven best.” He looked a little sheepish and coughed into his fist. A quick look at Crowler and Syrus before he continued. “Well five best, one making great strides and I needed one more, so you know.”

Dr. Crowler leaned across to sneer at Jaden. Pointing a finger at the Slifer he said, “He certainly doesn’t mean me.”

Jaden simply turned his head up and closed his eyes with a grunt. Sheppard was honestly proud of the young man for that. He could just as easily have risen to the bait and snapped back at Crowler, but he didn’t, he chose to be the mature one.

“However, if any of you prefer to back out, I certainly will not blame you, nor will any of you be penalized. These Shadow Riders play for keeps, and the stakes have never been this high.” He motioned to the keys sitting in the purple lined case. “Who feels like saving the world?”

All of the students looked to one another nervously. This was a lot to take in and even more to take on, should they accept. Sheppard was not going to rush them, he would let them think as long as they needed to come to a conclusion. The first response was quite frankly unsurprising.

“Count me in!” Jaden exclaimed with a laugh. He pulled the far left key out and put it around his neck, where it rested against his half of the shadow charm. “How about that? It’s my size.”

Atticus chuckled under his breath and reached for the far right key. “I also accept. Can’t let myself be stood up by a first year here.”

Bastion nodded his head solemnly as he grabbed his own key. “It would be my honor.”

“I can’t let all you boys have ALL the fun. Count me in,” Alexis said as she reached for hers.

Chazz simply “hmphed” under his breath as he took his. The last two duelists were Syrus Truesdale and Dr. Crowler. Sheppard was uncertain how the younger Truesdale would react. He never got to know him, he trained Zane and knew what the older would do… but the younger it was a coin toss. He had been making great strides with Atticus mentoring him, which is why Sheppard opted for the chance.

Syrus sucked in a breath and grabbed a key as well. He looked Sheppard dead in the eyes and nodded his head. “I am going to do this for my brother. He wouldn’t back down and neither will I. I am going to find him, and these Shadow Riders are going to tell me where he is.” That tone was the most confidence Syrus had displayed since his brother’s disappearance.

Sheppard nodded his head proudly. It seemed courage ran in the veins of the Truesdale family. Atticus, who was on Syrus’ other side, smiled down at him and ruffled his hair. It was such a big brotherly thing to do, it made Sheppard choke up for a moment. Rhodes was really keeping an eye on Truesdale’s younger brother and would keep doing it.

Everyone turned to Crowler and waited for his response. Sheppard really should have seen it coming. The man was vainer than any other he met. “How could I refuse this? Our very world is at stake… and if I were to turn this down, I wouldn’t get to wear this posh piece of jewelry.”

With that all seven of the keys now rested in the hands of their guardians. Sheppard met their eyes and in a moment of gratitude, he stepped around his desk and gave a deep bow to them. They were putting their lives and souls on the line, he owed them more than anything. The whole world would owe them, if any were to ever find out.

“Just a word of precaution. The Shadow Riders will be the ones who chose who they duel. That is something in their favor. So be very careful and diligent when you are out. Watch your backs and out for each other. If there are any problems or any strange sightings, report to me. I will be behind you for this and beside you.”

With those parting words everyone was dismissed. They all walked out and made their way to their respective classes. Chazz, Bastion, Jaden and Syrus went to Professor Banner’s class. While Atticus and Alexis followed Dr. Crowler to his class. 

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Night rolled around quickly. Everyone was in their dorms, and the Slifer dorm happened to be wide awake with Jaden and Syrus catching Chumley up to speed. Chumley sat riveted by what he was being told. Jaden, as usual, did most of the talking. Syrus sat cross legged on the floor with his brother’s card and picture on his lap. The spirit key around his neck and resting in his palm.

“So, that’s about it Chum. You are now officially caught up to speed,” Jaden announced.

“Aren’t you both terrified? I mean come on, creepy shadow guys waiting to meet you and duel you so they can take the key and take over the world. This is straight out of an anime,” Chumley said.

“I mean not really. I would be more scared if I knew there wasn’t anything I could do. But that isn’t the case we all have the keys and will duel to the end to protect them. That is all it will take.” Jaden made it a decree as he stretched and yawned. “Man am I exhausted, I say we all hit the sack.”

Outside the moon was blood red again, the eerie glow casted over the island as a black shrouded figure stepped out from the trees surrounding the Slifer dorm. The jewels over the eyes on his mask glowed red and a bright, white light encased the entire room.

Jaden woke up to the light and Winged Kuriboh shaking him and chattering in his ear. Opening his eyes, Jaden cringed and blinked trying to fight the white light. Realizing something was very wrong, he jerked up and threw the blankets aside. Before he could even get up, Syrus was climbing down, the spirit key having woken him up along with a roar he heard.

“What is going on? Jaden?” Syrus yelled in a panic.

“I don’t know Sy!”

The white light engulfed them and when they opened their eyes again, they were standing on a platform hovering over the volcano. Jaden and Syrus were teleported to the center and they looked around them, utter disbelief etched on their faces.

“Where are we?” Syrus asked as he looked around. Glancing down at himself, he realized somehow he was in his Slifer jacket, with his spirit key hanging outside his coat. Cyber End Dragon was in his holster he could feel, but the photograph was nowhere in sight.

Jaden crawled on all fours to the edge of the large circular platform and looked down. Gulping he realized that they were suspended above the freaking volcano. “We are in one weird dream.”

A fire dragon rose from the flames and whipped right by them. Jaden scurried back and bumped into Sy’s legs. He looked up with terror in his brown eyes to his best friend whose blue eyes reflected the same look.

“Or nightmare,” Syrus corrected.

A maniacal laugh echoed around them. The flame dragon transformed into a metal one as it crashed on the platform. It dissipated and a man walked out of the metal flames. Syrus gasped as he looked at the man.

“It’s neither key keepers. You really don’t know what this is?” the person asked.

“Call me a slow learner,” Jaden quipped back.

“And call me Hell Kaiser or Hellshroud… both work for me.”

“Jay… that is…” Syrus couldn’t even finish his sentence.

Suddenly the pendant lit up around Jaden’s neck and the same for the one around the neck of ‘Hellshroud’ or ‘Hell Kaiser’. Hell Kaiser picked up his medallion and looked up with a sneering smile to Jaden. He let it fall back against his chest.

“Nice medallion. The Grave Keeper… he must be getting sloppy. But if you think you will beat me the same way you beat him… you have another thing coming. That key will be mine and it will be mine quick.”

Jaden took a good look at the guy. He stood tall, with teal hair in disarray, with jagged layers. The demonic mask covered most of his face with only his mouth and jaw visible. He was clad in black leather with the tail of the jacket flaring out. His shirt, pants and shoes were also black, except for his silver belt buckle that had ‘HK’ on it and the red stripe on his pants. The jacket had similar sharp, pointy ends that the mask did. The guy looked like he lived comfortably in Hell… so the name kinda worked.

“You ready key keepers? I don’t really care which of you I take first, since both of you will fall here. And once the duel is over, your soul will be mine. Sealed into this very card.” Hell Kaiser held up a duel card with an ominous black aura coming from it.

Jaden picked up the duel disk in front of him and turned to Syrus. Raising his eyebrows, he silently asked if it was ok if he went first. Syrus nodded his head and took a step back, never taking his eyes off this person. He knew it had to be Zane, he just needed physical proof.

Sliding the duel disk onto his arm, Jaden turned back around and faced his opponent. Knowing this was going to be one hell of duel, Jaden just hoped he was ready.

“DUEL!” They both yelled as the duel disks turned on and lava boiled beneath their feet.

“You can go first key keeper,” Hell Kaiser offered.

Jaden raised his eyebrows, but nodded as he drew another card. Nodding his head, he flipped it over to summon the monster. “I summon Elemental Hero Avian in attack mode.” The green and white feathered monster did a flip on the field as it stood in front of Jaden. “Finally I will throw down a facedown while I am at it.”

Hell Kaiser stood still as a statue as he observed and calculated his own move. Drawing a card, the smirk came back in force. Slapping his card down on the disk, he laughed. “I summon Cyber Dragon in attack mode.” He moved his arm to the side and the metal dragon monster they saw moments ago, sprang from the lava below and curled behind it’s master.

Jaden gaped at that. It was a level five monster, that had to be against the rules. “Wait, how can you summon a level five monster on your very first turn?”

“I can play my Cyber Dragon because it’s my first turn. With no monsters to defend me, he requires no sacrifice.” Flipping his spell card to face Jaden he continued. “Next, I will activate Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your facedown.”

Jaden cringed as the facedown was destroyed. “Oof that was fast.”

“Not as fast as your life point meter will go down. Cyber Dragon attack!” Moving his arms in a slashing motion, Hell Kaiser pointed to the opposing monster. “Strident blast!”

The flames shot from the mouth of the dragon and burned Avian out of existence. Jaden staggered back, 1100 points of damage in one swoop. This guy was beyond good and Jaden walked right into that. He could have sworn he felt the burn that Avian suffered.

Syrus just stood there frozen, that was his brother’s card. Cyber Dragon belonged to his brother… which meant that was all the proof he needed. He went to yell out, but the Shadow Rider beat him to it.

“Next I activate the magic of Different Dimension Capsule.” An Egyptian sarcophagus looking thing appeared in front of him. He removed his deck from the holder and flipped through it. “I can take any card from my deck and remove it from play. In two turns it will return to my hand.” The capsule went back underground.

Normally Jaden would be geeking out about seeing such a thing, but with the stakes so high here… he was really hoping he drew a card to destroy that thing and fast. Before Jaden could draw another card, Syrus moved closer to him.

“Sy, you ok?”

“Jaden… listen to me. That person… well I should say that the cards that person is using, they belong to my brother. Cyber Dragon is the base form for Cyber End Dragon. Listen Jay, you are good, this person has to be Zane. He is the one who saved me in the abandoned dorm,” Syrus explained, never taking his wide eyes from the person he was convinced was Zane.

“Sy, listen I know you want to see your brother again and I swore to you I would help you with that… but this guy is a Shadow Rider. He is trying to take over the world, unless your brother was power hungry enough to do it, it can’t be him.” Jaden tried to be as reasonable and understanding as possible.

“No Jaden, believe me, that card he put into the capsule, was a spell card called Power Bond. I bet anything. He will use it to try and fuse his Cyber Dragons together to form Cyber Twin Dragon. Remember the dream?”

Jaden sucked in a breath. He did remember the dream and that mask was prominent in his nightmares for weeks. Risking a glance there, he started to agree with Syrus… holy crap this was Zane!

“Sy, we have to snap your brother out of this. No matter the outcome of this duel, it will be bad. Either I lose and he stays the same. Or I win and he gets his soul sealed in that card.” Jaden rubbed at his head in frustration. Dueling was not supposed to be like this.

The heat from the lava was starting to get to the two Slifers. Hell Kaiser just stood there impassively with his arms crossed looking at them. He made a hand gesture that was the equivalent of ‘your move idiot’.

Jaden moved Syrus back and drew another card. He smiled, finally the heart of the cards was coming around for him. He looked at Sy and nodded his head, they would figure this out. They would find a way where all three of them walked out of this alive.

“For round two I am going to rock Polymerization. This will allow me to fuse Elemental Heroes Sparkman and Clayman. Come out Elemental Hero Thunder Giant.” A giant lightning strike hit the platform dead center as thunder rolled in the sky. The monster stood tall with electricity coming from his white hands and electric ball on his chest. “And thanks to his special ability, Thunder Giant can destroy any monster whose attack points are weaker than his.” Jaden pointed a finger at the Cyber Dragon. “So say goodbye to your dragon!”

Lightning hit the dragon and it vaporized into thin air. Hell Kaiser didn’t even flinch when his monster was destroyed. Jaden cheered and clenched a fist as he directed Thunder Giant to attack Hell Kaiser directly. The lightning headed straight for him, when it connected, there wasn’t any emotion or movement. The only thing that moved was his teal hair and jacket that flapped back from the blast.

“You aren’t even going to flinch? Come on, can I get at least a cringe here? That should have hurt,” Jaden complained.

Chuckling darkly Hell Kaiser raised his face to look Jaden dead in the eyes. “I leave all that to my opponents. They do more than enough flinching.”

Syrus stood stupefied, Jaden got a good hit on Zane. His lifepoints were now at 1600 and Jaden still had 2900. They may get out of this, but that meant his brother lost his soul in this duel. This was too painful for him to think about and he put his hand to his face.

“Sy, I promised you. We are getting your brother back.” Jaden turned to give a thumbs up. “You just have to believe.”

A warm glow came from his deck holster and Syrus opened it to pull out Cyber End. The card had a gold glow and was warm to the touch. At times like this Syrus wished he could understand duel spirits that Professor Banner spoke about.

Hell Kaiser looked toward Syrus really for the first time. Some images flashed through his mind. The demonic entity known as Hellshroud couldn’t get full control after that. His host was gaining control and his own willpower was coming back in increments. He needed to finish this duel fast, before he lost control of his host.

“Not bad, kid. Of course with my field now empty I can just throw out another Cyber Dragon.” The sequence repeated itself with the dragon flying up from the flames and settling behind him. “Or better yet two. I play Monster Reborn and with just one monster in my graveyard, you can guess who is coming back.” The second dragon appeared and Jaden took a step back. This wasn’t good. “But neither will be here long, in present form. Now my dragons unite and form Cyber Twin Dragon.”

A twin headed metal dragon appeared and looked more menacing than anything Jaden had seen. Smirking at his opposition, Hell Kaiser gleefully revealed Cyber Twin Dragon’s special ability. “That saying ‘two heads are better than one’ really applies to my dragon. He can now attack twice in a round, which means double the trouble for your monster and your lifepoints.”

Jaden took a step back, this would not end well then. He only had Thunder Giant on the field and he had 2400 attack points. The Twin Dragon had 2800 attack points. Getting hit with those blasts would kick his life points to zero and cost him the duel. Jaden was about ready to taste defeat for the first time, until he heard something coming his way.

Whizzing by his head was a duel card, and since it came from behind him, it meant Syrus was the one to throw it. The card flew right at Hell Kaiser and he caught it in his free hand. Flipping it over, he looked down at the card. It was a duel spirit fusion card… and the damn card was emanating a warm power that seeped into the body of his host. Trying with all his might he couldn’t force the hand to release it. But that was of little consequence, the duel was his, this child didn’t calculate right.

“Cyber Twin Dragon, attack Thunder Giant and his lifepoints directly!” Hell Kaiser yelled. Jaden cringed knowing this was the end.

Syrus couldn’t stand there watching, he threw himself in front of Jaden protectively. Arms stretched out and he was willing to take the hit. He knew Jaden would learn from this mistake and be able to rescue Zane, if not then he would tell Atticus what happened. The only person to ever not lose to Zane, granted he didn’t win either, it ended in a draw, was Atticus.

“Syrus! What are you doing?”

“I am protecting you Jaden. If you can’t beat Zane this time, then make sure you tell Atticus, he always tied with Zane. Maybe he has an idea.” Syrus sounded sad, but his mind was made up.

However neither Slifer was prepared for the concept of ‘brotherly love’ to win this duel. Hell Kaiser grabbed them both and pulled them away from the attack. He had forced the duel disk off his arm while they were talking and forfeited the duel.

Lava shot up around them and flames encased their bodies. Jaden screamed out for Syrus but he saw Hell Kaiser grab him and cover his body from the flames. It seemed the little bit of Zane Truesdale that was left in him, was going to protect his brother. Jaden collapsed when the flames and blinding white light died down and he awoke on the cold, hard rock outside of the volcano.

Struggling to push himself up, he looked around. About 10 feet away were the bodies of Syrus and who he hoped was finally the real Zane. Syrus lay on top, as if Zane turned them over last minute so he wouldn’t be crushed. Neither were moving and Zane’s head was turned sideways, his teal hair covering his face.

“Jaden, hold on we are coming!” Bastion’s voice carried over to him.

Looking forward, he saw Bastion, Chazz, Alexis and Atticus rushing over. All of them still dressed in their uniforms even though it was the middle of the night. Atticus caught Jaden’s eyes and Jaden looked toward the brothers. Atticus caught on quick and made his run over to them.

“What happened here?” Chazz asked impatiently. He and Bastion were helping Jaden to his feet, and he swayed.

“The first Shadow Rider… and man I won’t ever underestimate someone again…” Jaden looked over and saw Atticus take a shocked step back.

“He won’t wake up! He saved us but he won’t wake up!” Syrus wailed.

Jaden looked down and saw the duel card on the ground. He motioned to it and Alexis picked it up. Handing it to Jaden, he flipped it over and saw the mask being held in place by chains. Hopefully this meant they were safe from this demon.

“Zane?!” Atticus cried out and got the attention of all the others.

Helping Jaden move as quickly as possible, they made their way over and saw Syrus clinging to his older brother and sobbing. Atticus knelt down and grabbed one of Zane’s wrists to check for a pulse. Everyone held their breath waiting for the verdict.

“Sy, I can feel a pulse. He’s alive, if not worse for wear. Let’s get them both to the infirmary.” He looked at his sister. “Give me a hand Lex, we both are going to need to take an arm.”

Alexis nodded her head and reached around Syrus to help her brother pull the unconscious Truesdale to his feet. The sun started to rise behind them over the ocean. The light cast a good look at Zane’s pale, thin face. It was clear he was weak and needed serious medical attention.

His head slumped on Atticus’s shoulder as the Rhodes siblings dragged him along the path to the school infirmary. Syrus walked backwards, not wanting to take his eyes off his brother. Chazz and Bastion walked behind them with Jaden, who just passed out a few seconds before.

One Shadow Duelist down, and one mystery solved, but at what cost, Atticus couldn’t help but wonder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not going to lie, I re-watched the first duel between Zane and Jaden many times for this chapter. It was the best I had to go on. I already knew how I wanted this to go down, especially since Syrus was convinced in the beginning it was Zane. I hope it translated well and I was able to express the scene as how I had it playing in my mind. This is the part I have been looking forward to with this book. You will absolutely start to notice divergences from canon. As always, please tell me what you all think. I am writing this like a mad person because I having so much fun and so many ideas. I may be adding parts I wish would have been there in the canon.


	11. Weight of the World

CHAPTER ELEVEN: WEIGHT OF THE WORLD

The group of friends finally reached the school. The Rhodes siblings found out just how hard dragging dead weight was, as they struggled the last length down the hall. Luckily it was early and no students were milling around to ask why they were dragging two unconscious people.

They finally reached the infirmary room just in time to see Chumley racing down the hallway. When the older Slifer reached them, he saw an unconscious Jaden being carried by Chazz and Bastion. He looked to the left and saw Syrus facing toward Alexis and Atticus who were supporting… holy crap Zane 'Kaiser' Truesdale. 

"What happened? I woke up to find both you and Jaden gone Syrus," Chumley frantically stated.

"Not now Chumley. We need to get them in the infirmary before anyone sees them," Atticus snapped out. He was not in the mood to deal with questions, he wanted to get Zane and Jaden in the infirmary and possibly on oxygen.

Chumley nodded and scurried to the side to open the door. Alexis and Atticus dragged Zane in first and the nurse, Fonda Fontaine, walked around the corner. She gasped when she saw two unconscious people and one of them was a former missing student.

Whipping around so quickly her red/brown wavy hair smacked her face, she motioned to the far two beds. She was quickly putting on her white/blue Obelisk jacket that was a makeshift lab coat. Trying to tame the long strand of her wavy hair in the front of her face, she turned back to them and walked over to where Atticus was removing Zane’s jacket and shoes. Alexis was holding him steady and then helped her brother lay him on the white sheets.

“What happened here? And is that Zane Truesdale?” she asked quickly.

Atticus nodded his head and stood up. He hung the black leather jacket on the hook next to the bed. His eyes slid to where Chazz and Bastion were doing the same to Jaden, getting his shoes and jacket off. Once both students were safely in respective beds, everyone turned to Syrus. He was the only one who was still conscious and was there.

However the younger Truesdale was not paying any attention to the others in the room. His light blue eyes were glued firmly on his brother’s sleeping form. Watching the shallow rise and fall of his chest. Looking at the pale skin, with dark rings around his eyes. Reaching out, he grasped the larger hand of his brother and squeezed, tears leaking down his cheeks as he did so.

Nurse Fontaine noticed how shallow Zane was breathing and moved through the other students to his bedside. There was an oxygen machine next to each bed, just in case for emergencies. She turned it on and grabbed the clear mask. Atticus saw what she was doing and moved next to Syrus and lifted Zane’s head gently. The nurse slid the elastic tie around the back of his head and when Atticus lowered his friend’s head back to the pillow she put the covering over his nose and mouth. Tightening it, she then turned back around and turned on the machine. This would get some oxygen into his system. She also hooked up an IV into his left arm. The boy clearly was malnourished and dehydrated.

Moving away from Zane’s bed she checked on Jaden next. The younger boy was in slightly better shape than Zane. He had bruises, and some burns but not terrible.

“Jay, probably needs some oxygen too,” Syrus said suddenly. Everyone turned to look at him, but his eyes never strayed from his big brother. “We were dueling over the volcano, he might have some smoke inhalation.”

Nurse Fontaine staggered with confusion and worry. Why in the world were two people dueling over the volcano? This was insanity, and she would be reporting this to Chancellor Sheppard, but first things first, she had two very weak and unconscious students to care for. So she went about doing the same thing for Jaden as she did for Zane. Bastion was the one to help, by lifting Jaden’s head for the nurse.

Once both were hooked up to oxygen, she moved back and stared at all the students in the room. This is quite a group and a wide range of ranks here. Two Obelisks, well three if you count Zane in the bed, one Ray Yellow, and four Slifer Reds. She had seen them all hanging around each other throughout the school, but it was still a shock.

“Now, someone needs to tell me what is going on here. Why are there two students who won’t wake up? Why were you dueling over the volcano? And finally where did you find Zane?” Nurse Fontaine demanded. She needed answers.

Once again, everyone looked to Syrus for an explanation. He is the only awake and able to speak right now. Syrus could now feel all eyes in the room on him. For the first time since Zane saved him from the lava, he took his eyes off his brother to look around the room. Everyone was staring at him expectantly and he knew they would need to hear what happened. He just hoped he could get the message across.

Syrus launched into an explanation about the duel between Jaden and Zane, or as he called himself ‘Hell Kaiser’. No one interrupted him, they let him tell it and he did. He told them about how he recognized it as Zane because of his Cyber Deck. How when he caught the Cyber End Dragon card, that seemed to break through to him. Finally how Zane had managed to gain control of himself again and save them. Syrus took a breath and looked back to his elder before telling them the rest.

“When the lava started coming up and flames were everywhere, he put his body between them and me. He wrapped his arms around me… covering me so I was safe. When I looked up at him, the mask was vanishing from his face and I saw his eyes staring back at me. He hugged me tighter and…” Syrus trailed off, choking.

Atticus grabbed a chair that was against the wall and slid it to Syrus. Gently guiding the younger one down, he put a comforting hand on his shoulder, hoping to give some strength. Syrus looked up at him with watery eyes, but there was resolve there. He had a spine of steel and was starting to realize it himself.

“What happened next Sy?” Atticus asked quietly.

“When he hugged me tighter, he told me he was sorry and to never forget that he loves me. He was proud of seeing the person I was becoming.” This time Syrus did sob out loud and spun the little chair around and faced the bed again. Leaning over he placed his head on Zane’s chest and sobbed. Tears streaming down his face and hiccuping sobs echoed in the room.

No one could move or say anything. The scene was utterly heartbreaking to watch, and a few of the students had tears of their own welling up in their eyes. They quickly dashed them away and looked around the room. Some stray tears leaked down the faces of Atticus and Alexis. They looked to one another and wiped their faces quickly.

“I need to alert Chancellor Sheppard about this. Not only is one of the missing students found, but another was placed in danger.” She turned around to make her way to the door, only for it to open and in walk Chancellor Sheppard and Dr. Crowler. “Oh, I was just coming to get you Chancellor.”

He didn’t even seem to acknowledge her. Walking stiffly to the bed closest to the far wall, he looked down and went ashen white. It was Truesdale, he was alive. He felt his knees give out, and both Dr. Crowler and Atticus caught him by the arms. Helping him to an empty bad, they sat him down and looked at him worriedly.

“Sir, are you alright? Do you need help?” Nurse Fontaine asked quickly.

“Truesdale… he’s safe. He’s alive!” Sheppard exclaimed.

He couldn’t believe it, he was so relieved. He considered Truesdale like a son to him. Having him as a student for that time, teaching him about dueling and finding out he could hear and understand the duel spirit of Cyber End Dragon… it made him feel like a proud father. Then he went missing and no one knew where he was. The world had tilted out of balance and Sheppard feared he would never be found. Not only would that throw off the balance of the two warring schools, but it threw his own personal world out of balance. But now, seeing him alive, if not worse for wear, it was starting to right itself.

Everyone in the room looked confused, all except Atticus. Sheppard had to come clean to Rhodes about his and Truesdale’s past as mentor and student. But no one else was going to know. He looked at the younger Truesdale and how he was sobbing on the chest of his big brother. The sight broke Sheppard’s heart.

“I am going to excuse you all today from class. Everyone one of you needs to start preparing and you will take the day to do it.” He looked to Nurse Fontaine. “What is about to be said here Ms. Fontaine, can not be repeated at all. Do I make myself clear?” His voice brooked no argument.

She clasped her hands together in front of her chest and met his eyes. Seeing no wavering in the Chancellor’s eyes, she nodded her head. “I agree to that. Now what is going on?”

“With Truesdale’s loss the other Shadow Riders will be furious. And I am willing to bet that whoever was involved with his disappearance will make a move to keep him quiet when he wakes up. We all need to be prepared for anything that will come.” His gaze touched all of the students standing there and went over the two in the beds. “We don’t know when they will strike next or even who they will be.”

Solemn faces of students met his eyes. Nurse Fontaine looked around the room feeling even more confused. But a hard look from Chancellor Sheppard, had her pursing her lips to stop the questions that were ready to flow out.

“Nurse Fontaine, please follow me to my office. I want to hear what we can do for Truesdale while he recovers.” Sheppard stood up, walked over to Truesdale laying on the bed, his brother still laying on his chest, granted he had stopped sobbing, just quietly cried.

Both Sheppard and Fonda left the infirmary, with Dr. Crowler on their heels. The sun was now over the horizon and was shining into the room. All the students suddenly felt exhausted, the weight of the world and countless lives was literally on their shoulders. Atticus grabbed a chair that was near another bed and slid it next to Syrus. He flipped it around and sat with his arms resting on the back and placed his chin on top. The rest of the group reached for their own chairs and they all settled in to watch over the two who needed them.

A couple hours later, Chancellor Sheppard and Nurse Fontaine made their way back to the infirmary. When they opened the door, they were shocked to see the group still in there. Alexis had fallen asleep with her head resting on the bed next to Jaden. Chazz and Bastion were in chairs with their heads leaning against the wall, eyes closed as well. Chumley had taken up residence in another bed, snoring his head off. Syrus had cried himself to sleep, his hand gripping Zane’s and his head on his chest. Atticus was next to him and looked up when the door opened. Worn and worried chocolate brown eyes met the two adults.

“We decided to stay here. Hope it’s not too much trouble Ms. Fontaine, but we are going to be doing shifts until both of them are ready to leave the infirmary. None of us want to see them hurt, and when Sheppard pointed out that possibility, it spurred us into doing this.” Atticus waved his hand around the room where everyone was sleeping.

She shook her head with a small smile. “Chancellor Sheppard has explained everything. The infirmary will be open to all of you should you need it. I am so sorry that this much weight and pressure was put on all of you as students. But I thank you for taking up this challenge to protect the world.” Her voice was soft and gentle.

Atticus nodded his head and looked to Sheppard. For the first time, Sheppard noticed that Rhodes looked exhausted and older than his age. In that group of three, two years ago, he was the outgoing one, the carefree one. Now in this group he had become the caretaker, and a big brother to everyone. They all looked to him for all answers and it was a spot that many would have cracked under.

He walked into the room and stood before the exhausted top student. Placing a hand on his shoulder, he gave a squeeze and a smile. “Get some sleep Rhodes. All of you are going to need to be at your best to handle the rest of the Shadow Riders.”

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The day passed without much incident. All of them took turns watching over their comatose friends. The day was winding down and it seemed as neither of them were going to wake up. It started to be a concern for all of them. Atticus looked at his friends in the room and noted that even while they dozed on and off during the day, they all looked pale and exhausted.

“Alright everyone I think it’s time for you to go back to your dorms. Sleeping in hospital chairs just isn’t cutting it anymore. So go back and sleep tonight, there wasn’t a Shadow Rider today and we need all the strength and wits we have for the rest of this war,” Atticus made the declaration.

The others looked at him, but his implacable stare wore them down, thank you Zane. Chazz, Bastion and Chumley all got up and walked out, with goodbyes. Alexis and Syrus didn’t move, nor did they look at him. It was a strange feeling to have this heavy of a weight of responsibility… his mind immediately went back an easier time, two years ago.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus lay on the beach watching the sun setting, another day had passed and he loved it here at Duel Academy. The girls were hot and he had best friends. He stretched and put his hands behind his head, watching the waves move along the shore and the sun setting over the horizon. It was good to be ‘King’.

With his head tilted toward the sun, he didn’t see anyone coming up on him. When his peripheral vision finally saw them, they were quite literally on top of him. Standing above him were his two best friends, Zane and Yususke. He gave one of signature cartoonish grins and motioned for them to join. They looked at each other and sighed with an identical shake of heads.

“We have been looking all over for you and turns out you were hiding out here again,” Yusuke stated as he sat down and drew his legs close. Closing his eyes, he tilted his face to catch the final rays of light.

Zane ‘hmphed’ in the back of his throat as he too sat down. He drew his right leg up and the left was extended in front of him. He was staring straight ahead, but he looked at Atticus out of the corner of his eye.

“Am I going to get another lecture about ignoring my ‘duties’ mom?” Atticus teased. Zane was the one to make sure all three of them kept up with what was demanded of the ‘Top Duelists in the school’.

“No, no lecture. Yusuke, reminded me that your way isn’t so bad once in a while. I can’t seem to stop myself from doing everything and doing it as perfectly as possible.” Zane looked straight ahead again and went silent.

Atticus was shocked. Mr. Perfectionist was saying he knew he had a problem… this could mean only one thing! He wanted help with it! The crazy cartoon grin was back again and he sat up so quickly he startled his friends. Both looked at him like he had gone crazy, and maybe that was the look he was giving.

“So you want some lessons on how to take life a little less seriously?” Zane looked like he was going to argue, so Atticus kept going in a hurry. “Well lucky for you, I can do just that. I bet by the end of the year, I will have you shedding that perfectionist tunnel vision you have.” He threw an arm around Zane when the teal haired duelist tried to stand up.

“What? No, that’s not… NO!” Zane sputtered out and next thing they both knew they were in the sand with Atticus on top of him. There was a moment of panic in both faces as they looked at each other.

Before either of them spoke or made a move, a flash caught their eyes. Turning both their heads to look at where it came from, they noticed Yusuke with his damn camera again. Yusuke, had a problem when it came to that thing, he took pictures of everything and everyone who remembered him. Being his friends, that meant the camera was on them quite a bit.

Yusuke had told them about his fear of being forgotten, and the pictures reminded him that not everyone forgot about him. So both Atticus and Zane allowed the pictures, well more accurately, Atticus loved them and Zane ‘allowed’ them. But this one… nuh uh!

Seeing the faces of both his friends, Yusuke jumped up and took off running down the beach. Atticus was frozen, until Zane elbowed his face, pushed up and went chasing after their friend, yelling threats he would do if he didn’t give the camera over and have the picture deleted.

Atticus sat there for a moment, smiling like a loon. He wished things could stay like this forever. His friends with him and the perfect little world of Duel Academy.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus was staring down at the comatose form of Zane. Hooked up to an oxygen machine and an IV did not fit the image of the strong confident duelist who was his best rival. It made him furious, and he clenched both hands into fists. He would find out who was responsible for not only Zane’s disappearance but Yusuke’s as well. This time he would listen to his gut and hound Zane until he cracked, just like he was so good at.

Looking at Alexis sitting next to Jaden’s bed and Syrus sitting next to Zane’s, Atticus knew he wasn’t getting them out. Sighing, he took his chair and brought it to the middle and leaned his head against the wall. Crossing one leg over the other and his arms across his chest he settled in for a long night.

Neither of the younger duelists said anything about him not taking his own advice. It would have been pointless, Alexis knew that especially. She really did pity Zane when he came to, there would not be a moment alone, and the same for Yusuke, whenever he was found.

Not even five minutes later, Jaden jerked up with a shout. Both Rhodes siblings looked at him shocked, but relieved he was awake. He cringed and gritted his teeth from the jarring pain for moving too quickly too soon. His brown eyes were wide as he scanned the room, probably looking for whatever danger was in his dream.

“Easy there Jaden,” Alexis said using her soothing voice. She put a hand on his arm, as much to calm as to restrain him from making anymore sudden moves. “You ok?”

Jaden looked at her first and took a calming breath, wincing when it pushed his lungs against his ribs. He then looked at Atticus who was watching curiously. “Weird, I saw a girl…” Jaden trailed off.

“A… girl? A girl made you wake up like that with a shout?” Alexis asked incredulously. 

“You must be feeling better if you are dreaming about girls,” Nurse Fontaine said with a smile as she rounded the corner of the curtain.

Jaden looked at her and then something seemed to click in his mind. “How is Hell Kai- I mean Syrus’ brother?”

Everyone turned to look at the bed that held Zane’s body. She shook her head sadly and looked back at Jaden. Her eyes held worry, not just the worry for his physical well being, but his mental as well. Being held captive somewhere, he was bound to have scars of both the physical and mental variety.

“I’m afraid he hasn’t woken up yet. But still, he seems to be stable, I will do a couple tests within the next couple days if he doesn’t wake up.”

Jaden looked over concerned, Syrus hadn’t even looked at him when he woke up. He seemed to be afraid to look away from his big brother, as if looking away would mean the illusion was broken. Jaden couldn’t begin to understand, and he didn’t try right now. He flopped back down and winced again.

Both Rhodes siblings laughed and he looked at them. They looked exhausted, probably from watching over them. Alexis smiled serenely and squeezed his hand. Jaden looked her in the eyes and saw friendship there, something he wanted to hold on to.

“Get some rest Jaden. We will keep watch and when the next Shadow Rider appears, we will be the ones to fight and protect,” Alexis’ words were the last thing he heard, before he let the darkness of rest claim him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am going to do parts like this throughout the series. I always wished there were little side parts with the characters interacting after each duel, but a Shadow Duel especially. It was always glossed over, and yeah I get the reason behind it. You don't want to take unnecessary time to go into these things. But I plan on doing that. Don't worry, I won't slow down the story very much, we are finally in the part I have wanted to write since the beginning. Let me know what you all think!


	12. VAMPIRE?!

CHAPTER TWELVE: A VAMPIRE?!

“Did you think you could get away from me my darling? I told you, we would be together for eternity,” the accented voice whispered in Zane’s ear.

You would think after two years being in darkness, this would be nothing new to the older teen. He was suspended in chains in the dark, the voice of that cursed vampiress was whispering to him, making it feel as if his brain was bleeding again. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to keep his brain empty, lest the knife pain come back.

“You failed Hell Kaiser, that won’t be taken lightly. We will be bringing you back to us, it appears you need more training.”

Zane raised his head and opened his eyes, glared through pain filled teal eyes. He hated seeing himself attacking someone who appeared to be his younger brother’s best friend. Watching from inside his mind nearly did him in. But Syrus saved him by throwing Cyber End to him. The warmth from his card gave him the power to fight to the surface. It took a little more fighting, and seeing his brother in danger… that was more than enough to help him fight to the surface.

“Let me be!” Zane was not above begging at this point.

A laugh echoed and he saw her elongated fangs and blood red lips. He wanted to scream, but nothing came out this time. The pain intensified and he had no way to ask for help.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

In the world of those awake, Atticus sat in the chair next to Zane’s bed and noticed the teal haired duelist twitched slightly and his breathing became labored. Putting down his workbook, he reached over and touched Zane’s forehead and felt the sweat running down.

He looked for the nurse only to see she had left for a minute… figures. Atticus looked back to his friend and noticed the twitching stopped and he was once again lying still and his breathing was not labored. Sighing, Atticus picked up his homework again and kept working. This and the next were his free periods, guess Zane and Yusuke forcing him to take extra classes the first year paid off.

Everyone else had been sent to class and he was left to watch over the two sleeping duelists. Jaden had not said anything since his outburst the night before and Zane just plain had not even woken up yet. This was starting to make the Obelisk wonder what needed to be done to wake him up.

The door to the infirmary slid open and Atticus raised his head. Professor Banner walked in, as usual his cat hanging in his arms. He walked over, glanced at Jaden and then his eyes settled on Zane’s limp body. A strange feeling settled in his gut and he stood up, putting his body in between the professor and his friend. He remembered how Syrus had told him he had a bad feeling and he wasn’t going to take chances, especially after Sheppard guessed may happen. There wasn’t going to be any chance of a Shadow Rider getting near Zane.

"Is there a problem Professor Banner?" Atticus asked.

Professor Banner gave that strange smile again. “No, not at all. I was just coming to check on Jaden and see if the rumors were true about Zane being found again.”

That had Atticus raising an eyebrow. Sheppard had said that he was keeping it quiet and no other students were allowed in here at the moment. They were keeping the curtain drawn around Zane’s comatose form when people did need to come in for emergencies. How did Professor Banner hear about this?

“Where did you hear that? Granted you caught me by surprise and saw him just now, but we aren’t letting it get out.” Atticus couldn’t stop the accusatory tone in his voice.

“Oh you know my boy, I hear things around the campus.” Banner leaned slightly to try and get a look at Zane, but Atticus blocked him again. He raised his eyebrows at the protective move the Obelisk did.

“Forgive me if I am not letting people near my friend after what happened to him two years ago. If you have questions, perhaps you should speak with Chancellor Sheppard,” Atticus offered. He ran a hand through his brown hair and pushed it out of his eyes.

Banner smiled easily again and nodded his head. “Yes, good idea. Thank you Atticus, if you need anything please don’t hesitate to ask me.” That smile sent chills down the spine of the student and he wondered if he was just being paranoid or if something was really off with this guy.

Banner gave a little wave and left the infirmary. Blowing out a breath, Atticus turned and looked at Zane. He really did not look like himself. His face was thinner, not that he was heavy to begin with, but now he didn’t look healthy. The clothes he was wearing, were snug and showed how thin he really had become. The dark rings under his eyes, stood out against the pallor of his skin.

He moved and pulled the large curtain to wrap around both beds and shield them from prying eyes. Not going to take any more chances here. Once that was done and the curtains were secured together, he sat back in his chair and pulled out his book, but quickly realized he couldn’t focus. The curtains moved slightly and the nurse walked in.

“How are they?” she asked. Atticus gave her a quick run down of seeing Zane twitching and struggling to breathe for a moment. “Well that means there is some brain activity, so that is a good thing. Hopefully that means he will wake up sooner rather than later.”

“I actually have a question Nurse Fontaine,” Atticus mumbled. It was kind of an embarrassing question.

“Yes?”

“I read somewhere that people in comas can still hear what goes on around them. Is that true? Could talking to Zane bring him back?”

Ms. Fontaine seemed to consider the question. She looked between the two students who once were very close. She smiled slightly and nodded her head. “Yes, some people have stated that. I always say, what have you got to lose. Worst case they don’t hear you but best case, they hear you and it may help them awaken sooner. So in my opinion I say go for it.”

Atticus nodded his head and as he did, the door opened quickly and the curtains were pushed aside. Alexis stood there huffing and made a ‘follow me’ motion with her arm.

“Atticus, Sheppard wants to speak with all of us right now. Apparently there has been a sighting of a possible Shadow Rider,” she spoke quickly.

Atticus shot out of his seat and looked over his shoulder to Zane. Nurse Fontaine moved and patted his arm. She smiled and shoved him towards his sister. “Best to not keep the Chancellor waiting. I will be in here until one of you comes back. Sheppard has made it very clear that no one gets near any of you, should you end up in here.”

Both Rhodes siblings ran out of the infirmary. They made their way quickly to Sheppard’s office, ignoring the stares of other students. Other students had tried to figure out what the group of seven were doing, and why they were all friends. Some just could not fathom how the top male and female duelists would be friends with Slifers. Neither Atticus nor Alexis deigned to comment, believing it was a waste of time and breath.

They reached the office and let themselves in. Syrus, Chazz, Bastion, Dr. Crowler and Chancellor Sheppard were already standing there. The siblings walked in and stood next to Syrus. All then turned their attention to the leader. Sheppard cleared his throat and looked at each of them.

“I have heard some disturbing rumors around the campus. It seems as though there might be a vampire on campus,” he stated matter of factly.

Chazz jerked back as if he was electrocuted. “VAMPIRE?!”

“I also firmly believe the rumors may not be rumors at all,” he continued as if one of them didn’t just have an outburst.

“Puh-leaze, this has to be a practical joke,” Dr. Crowler scoffed with a flip of his wrist. 

Atticus stepped back to avoid it hitting his face, since Syrus was so much shorter, he didn’t have to worry. He looked Sheppard in the eyes and narrowed his. Something didn’t sit right, he just couldn’t put his finger on it.

“A ‘joke’? It wasn’t a joke that put Jaden in the hospital. Nor was it a joke that has Zane in a coma after losing the duel,” Bastion argued.

Snapping his fingers, Atticus looked at the others and Sheppard. “Do you think she is a Shadow Rider?”

“Perhaps. Now all you, prepare for war to begin. And be careful, we can’t afford to lose a key.” Looking all them dead in the eyes, he nodded when he saw their resolve. “Dismissed.”

All of them made their way to their respective dorms, except Atticus, Alexis and Syrus. They made their way to the infirmary. Walking through the door, they saw things were exactly the same. Jaden was still asleep, but he looked to not be in as much pain as before. Zane seemed to be breathing a little easier, it appeared the oxygen was doing some good.

“Well, let’s sit in here and go through our decks. Like Sheppard said, we can’t afford to lose any keys,” Atticus recommended. The other two looked at him and nodded their heads.

Pulling chairs around the small table in the room, they all began to flip through their cards and strategize. They used the table to set cards down and look at what they had, if they wanted to make any changes and add anything. However, none of them noticed the bat hanging upside down looking at them with glowing red eyes.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Night fall came around and they all met at Sheppard’s office once again to report. They all had their duel disks attached and their decks raring to go. Atticus had asked Syrus and Alexis to stay behind and watch over Jaden and Zane. He knew the younger Truesdale wanted to be involved, but Atticus wasn’t willing to risk it now.

“Good news Chancellor, I searched around the campus. Not one vampire sighting,” Chazz stated proudly.

“VAMPIRE!” Chumley’s voice came from the door. Everyone turned around to see Chumley running in and huffing. “I saw her! She’s down by the lake.”

Chancellor stood up and Atticus, Dr. Crowler, Bastion and Chazz all took off running to the lake. This was not going to end well, he had a bad feeling. As they sprinted to the lake’s edge, they noticed the fog had thickened tonight. It created something straight out of Banner’s horror movie collection. A crimson red carpet rolled towards them.

“At least we get the red carpet treatment,” Dr. Crowler muttered.

“Crimson red… how fitting here,” Atticus snapped out.

Everyone drew themselves upright and Dr. Crowler started to sneak backwards. However, he didn’t notice that Pharaoh had snuck out. So when the feline wound between his moving legs he yelped and jumped forward through the line of students.

He landed standing scared stiff and facing the lake. Everyone looked shocked at how he put himself first. For a quick moment, no one spoke, and the feline took off running toward the Slifer dorm.

“Oh wow, you are so brave Dr. Crowler!” Chumley exclaimed.

“We will be right behind you,” Bastion said solemnly.

That comment seemed to terrify Crowler and he whipped back around to face his students. His face had a scared smile and sweat rolling down his made up face. Leaning forward he had his hands out and clasped together.

“Hey, I have an idea. Why don’t we draw straws? Now where can we find some? Oh never you mind, I will go find some. Just don’t anyone follow me,” Crowler said with a nervous laugh.

“Forget it Crowler, YOU’RE up,” Chazz spat out.

Chumley snuck away and took off back to the infirmary where the other two were waiting. The door slid open and he ran in. “Syrus, Alexis!” Both looked up from their posts to him. “Dr. Crowler is going to duel against the vampire lady!”

Syrus and Alexis stood up and looked at their friend. “Great, he will beat her easy right?”

“Wrong Sy. Crowler may talk a good game, but he plays a TERRIBLE one!” Alexis exclaimed. She leaned forward as if she would run out and stop it. Her long blonde hair fell in her face and she pushed it back.

That comment made Jaden open his eyes slightly and look at the three standing around him. He was really worried for Dr. Crowler. Granted the guy was as egotistical as they came, but Jaden didn’t want anything to happen to him. Winged Kuriboh appeared and Jaden looked at him with worry etched into his face.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Back at the lake, everyone still stood where they were ten minutes ago. Crowler in front, shaking like a leaf. It was annoying to the three students. Atticus stood there with his arms crossed and was about to shove Crowler out of the way, just so they could get this Shadow Rider out of the way.

“So, Dr. Crowler, what’s the hold up?” Chazz asked scathingly.

Whipping his head around he glared balefully at Chazz. “If you are in such a hurry, why don’t you go first?!”

The wind picked up, causing them all to look toward the lake and see the fog clear a little. An old boat appeared at the other end of the carpet and a beautiful woman stood perfectly poised and seductive. A smile gracing her lips.

She stood tall, with long green hair that went down her back to her waist. Strands of bangs covered part of her face and blood red eyes that were staring at them as if they were prey. Her heels had tie wraps that went up her calves and her burgundy dress had a bat medallion resting in the center on her breasts.

“Gentlemen, why don’t I just come to you?” Her voice had a Romanian accent and quite frankly sounded over done. Her heeled shoe stepped out and she strutted across the red carpet all the way to where they stood. When she came upon them, she looked at them and over Crowler with disdain. “And who might you be?”

“I am your challenger,” Dr. Crowler stuttered out.

The vampire looked at Crowler through long lashes and then she looked more fully at Atticus on the far left. The brunette boy reminded her so much of Hell Kaiser, the same white jacket and the same determined set in face and eyes. It was very attractive, and she wanted him.

“You are not worthy to duel me,” she stated dismissively.

The casual dismissal had Crowler nearly falling over. He sputtered at her in clear disbelief. “I-I beg your pardon?! I have a PhD in dueling! That takes nine years of duel school I will have you know,” he tooted his own horn unashamedly.

“Fine, if you are that interested to lose your key and soul, then you may duel me: Camula, Vampire Mistress of the Shadows.” She placed a hand on her chest and gave a little bow of the head. Countless bats swarmed around her as her eyes glowed a bright red.

“Rubber bats and plastic teeth. Your tricks don’t scare me young lady,” Crowler muttered.

“Then maybe this will, if you lose I get your soul.” She held up a small unadorned doll. “Well to be more precise this little doll does.”

The other students stood stupefied. “You want to take his soul and the key?” Bastion questioned.

Crowler laughed it off and placed his hands on his hips. “What, is that it? You don’t want something for your little werewolf to chew on?”

At that comment, she turned terrifying. She pulled her red lips back to reveal her long fangs and her eyes took on a demonic look. It was straight out of horror movies. “Be very careful what you wish for. It may just come true,” she hissed at him. “Now then key keeper, let’s duel!”

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Back in the hospital room, the three awake students were watching the duel on their PPCs. Crowler appeared to be holding his own for the most part. He fell into a couple of tricks that were quite frankly amateurish. But overall, doing better than they thought. 

When Crowler went to the ground, he was shaking and nearly whimpering. Alexis cringed and Syrus wanted to cry out.

“No, if he loses then he not only loses the key but his soul as well,” Alexis exclaimed.

Those words were more than Jaden could bear to hear. He opened his eyes and looked at them huddled around Chumley’s unit. They didn’t even notice him awaken. He struggled to sit up and listen to what was going on.

“Listen dear, you don’t have to duel like this. Just step down and I will duel that one in white,” they could hear Camula say. Alexis gasped and realized this vampire was after her brother. 

“Hear that Atticus, looks like you’re her type,” Chazz jabbed.

Atticus was stoically ignoring that, and trying not to cringe. Forget the fact that she is a Shadow Rider and possibly responsible for the pain Zane endured… she was not his type! A shudder ran up his spine and it took great strength to repress it.

“How about it? Give me your student and I will let you go free,” Camula tried to bargain.

Atticus was about to step forward anyway. Crowler clearly did not know what he was doing and this was not going well. But the moment he put one foot forward to take Crowler’s place, the teacher staggered back to his feet.

“Stay back! This is my duel! I won’t let you lay a single hand on my students.” Crowler finally found his footing. “Do you understand, I am the leading professor at the most prestigious duel school in the world! If you want to get to MY pupils, you will have to get through me!” he yelled with more passion than his students had seen from him in a long time.

Atticus was frozen in place looking and listening to that speech. His wide chocolate eyes were riveted on his professor. Chazz stepped up next to him and had his hand outstretched in concern for Crowler.

“But you can barely stand Crowler.” Chazz’s voice held real concern.

He turned his head their way and gave a smug grin. “Don’t you worry about me. I still have cards in my deck and a few tricks up my sleeve,” he gritted out.

With that the duel continued to rage on. The three students and key keepers couldn’t do anything but watch. When it seemed Crowler would gain the upper hand, Camula pulled something out that would destroy those chances. Atticus gritted his teeth as he watched this. He just couldn’t stand there anymore.

“Crowler, I just can’t stand here and do nothing!” he yelled with his fists clenched. He watched his teacher fall once again when the Vampire Bat monster attacked his lifepoints directly.

Camula turned to Atticus with a smile. “Yes, I completely agree darling. Help your teacher, because clearly he can’t help himself. I met someone just like you, so eager to protect and it led to his descent into the darkness. Oh how beautiful a sight you would both make together with me.”

Her words made Atticus’ blood run cold. Another one just like him? Looking at her closer, he couldn’t help but wonder if this was the vampire Syrus and Jaden saw Zane dueling when he succumbed to the demonic entity known as Hellshroud. His face went pale at the thought. For a moment the world tilted and wondered if he would be sick right here in front of everyone.

“Wrong!” a voice everyone here knew all too well yelled out. That managed to break Atticus from the circling thoughts.

Everyone turned their heads to see Chumley running up with Jaden on his back and Alexis right behind them. She walked straight to her brother and placed her body slightly in front of his. He looked down at her and she met his eyes. He knew she heard what Camula had said and now was going into ‘overprotective sister mode’.

“Jaden?” everyone exclaimed at the same time.

“Dr. Crowler can win this duel! I know because I dueled him myself, and man can he throw down!” Jaden exclaimed proudly.

Dr. Crowler opened his eyes slightly and saw Jaden on Chumley’s back… cheering for him after all the things he had done to get Jaden kicked out. Oh the irony here was not missed on anyone in attendance. But the words seemed to have the desired effect, Crowler forced himself up and glared at the vampire in front of him.

“I am not giving up!”

Camula looked dismissively at her opponent. “Oh are you still here?”

“You had better believe it and here to stay too missy! Although it makes me slightly ill to admit it, Jaden is ABSOLUTELY right! I can beat you! I can throw down and I can get my game on!” He cringed. “Ugh, I suddenly feel the need to wash my mouth out.”

Jaden smiled. “Come on, it's not that bad teach.”

“Yes perhaps, but you know what is?” Bastion interjected.

“His lifepoints. It’s true, in order to pull this one out, Crowler will need to make quite the comeback here,” Atticus said.

Crowler drew another card and smiled. Everyone went still, wondering what this meant. When the ground began to rumble and the Ancient Gear Golem appeared everyone knew why.

“Check it! Crowler’s best monster!” Chazz yelled excitedly.

“But where’s the sacrifice?” Chumley asked, confused.

“It’s on the field,” Atticus responded with a smile of his own. “The Ancient Gear Castle, that was a move right there.”

“I also play Heavy Storm.” A harsh wind whipped through the field and destroyed all the spell and trap cards out.

“You must be quite a bore for your students. I activate, Zombie Bed!”

“But I destroyed all the cards on the field!” Crowler yelled back.

Camula looked the pinnacle of Vampire for a moment. Her tongue was long and pointed, her teeth lengthened and her eyes glowed with glee. “I wanted you to do just that!” During Camula’s turn, she removed his Ancient Gear beast from his graveyard and managed to summon Vampire Genesis. With her Vampire Bat still on the field, his attack points rose to 3200.

Everyone went deathly still. They knew there was no way out of this. Crowler had his head down and eyes closed. He knew defeat was imminent. Snapping his eyes open, he raised his head and whipped to face all his students.

“My students, no matter what happens to me… always remember this,” Crowler started. Everyone shook their heads, not wanting to hear this. It sounded too much like a goodbye speech and none were prepared. “It’s true while I may have been hard on you at times, but it’s because I believe in each and every one of you. Therefore should I fall, there is still hope. I know you all will rise and protect this world.”

Atticus once again tried to step forward, irritated beyond belief. Alexis kept him back, by keeping her body in front of his. “Don’t talk like that Crowler!” Atticus snapped out, eyes narrowed.

Jaden sighed and looked down. “This isn’t good.”

Camula, taking joy in breaking up such a heartwarming moment said, “Have you finished your final lesson?”

Whipping his head back to face the vampire, he snarled at her. “Excuse me that is DR. Crowler to you!”

“I will make sure they put that on your tombstone!” she laughed and directed her monsters to attack him.

All of her monsters attacked and his lifepoints hit zero as he fell to the ground. His eyes were closing as the pain from all the monster attacks took their toll on his body.

“Dr. Crowler!” Jaden yelled in worry.

Opening his eyes for a moment, Crowler met the brown eyes of the one person he never thought he would want to see. A slight smile graced his lips and his eyes started to close again. “Jaden, avenge me, my boy. I know you can do it.”

“His key is mine now,” Camula delighted in saying.

No one moved, no one dared to breathe as they looked at the fallen form of their teacher. Camula took the steps towards Crowler’s prone form and reached down to take the key from his pocket. Chazz gritted his teeth and took a step forward.

“Nuh uh! No way!” he denied.

Jaden looked down sadly and then back at Chazz. “We can’t stop her, she won the duel.”

Once the key was in her possession, it slowly vanished into sparkles. “One down, six to go.” She looked disdainfully down at Crowler’s unconscious body. “Now, my children, to claim my second prize.”

She held the doll up and everyone gasped. An ominous purple aura surrounded it and Crowler’s body vanished in the same purple aura. The doll took on Crowler’s image as the body vanished. Once it was complete, she let the children see her handywork.

“She put Crowler’s soul in a doll!” Chumley stuttered out.

Camula turned the doll back to face her and curled her lips in disgust. “Dolls are pretty, this is decidedly not.” She tossed the doll as if it were nothing more than garbage to her.

Jaden became furious and tried to slide off Chumley. Atticus stepped over and put a restraining hand on his shoulder. His eyes were closed and everyone looked at him, including Camula who smiled. When he opened his eyes, there was clear challenge in them. This person was at the very least partially responsible for everything his best friend endured. She would be his opponent if he had anything to say about it.

Camula smiled at him once more. She knew exactly how to play this group of children. And what’s better is they would be hers as would Hell Kaiser when they retrieved him again. The wind whipped around her and he disappeared in a gust.

“I bid you all farewell.” Her voice echoed.

A castle appeared behind her and the fog cleared enough for everyone to see it. It was straight out of Dracula. As the gust of wind carried her to the castle, she heard their voices.

“We’ll find you!” Bastion yelled out.

“And duel!” Chazz finished.

“Children, that is exactly what I am hoping for.” Camula’s voice carried back to them and left them all with a cold dread.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, that was harder to write than I thought. I don't like writing duels because it is such a visual thing that animation and manga do it much better. So I hoped it made sense with me glossing over certain parts, I made sure to put in there the parts that contribute to the plot. But overall I was proud with how this turned out. Any guesses on who will duel Camula next time? As always thoughts and comments welcome.


	13. Avenging

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: AVENGING 

Everyone met back in the infirmary to discuss what happened. Chazz had been the one to pick up Crowler’s doll and now held on to it. Jaden had been put back in the bed, where he was now complaining about being stuck.

"I'll take her on! Leave her to me!" he exclaimed. Everyone shared a look and sighed.

"Not happening Slacker." Chazz pulled the sheet over Jaden’s head. "You can’t win a fight against a sheet. This is a duel for The Chazz."

"I think not Chazz. I should be the one to duel her. I can use any one of my many decks," Bastion argued.

Jaden struggled with the sheet while the two duelists were arguing to see who would duel her. Grumbling under his breath he finally managed to sit up and pull the sheet down again. Smirking triumphantly, he looked at Chazz.

"Ha! I won!" Jaden proclaimed.

Chazz whirled around and threw the sheet over him again. "You did not. It's best two out of three."

Jaden started to struggle again. "Man what thread count is this? Hold on, almost got-"

"Shut up and lie down Slacker!" Chazz snapped, finally fed up with Jaden trying to pretend he was alright.

Syrus was facing his brother and not taking his eyes off him. He blinked and looked up at the group. Alexis sat next to Jaden and smiled at him. Atticus was leaning against the window at the foot of Zane's bed with his arms crossed and eyes closed.

"Whoever goes against her, we need to be careful. The fact that she steals souls, poses a big problem. Because if we lose, then it's not just our souls at stake… but the entire world," Syrus whispered.

He placed a hand on Zane's forehead and kept it there. Everyone looked at him shocked by the fact he was the one to point it out. For the most part he remained quiet and solely focused on Zane. Even as the clear younger brother, Syrus was doing everything he could to help his brother. He spoke with Nurse Fontaine at length, and Sheppard as well, wanting as much information as he could get.

Atticus opened his eyes and looked at the Truesdale brothers. It was a depressing image, with the older comatose and the younger worried out of his mind. Forcing a smile, Atticus put a hand on Syrus' head and ruffled his hair.

"Well, she won't be trying again tonight. Everyone try to get some sleep and we will plan later. We all need to be at our best for this and sitting here fighting over who will be the one to duel her." Atticus looked at everyone and used his hard stare to make them get up and leave. 

Everyone but Syrus and Alexis filed out. They both stared at him stubbornly. He met their stares and refused to back down, which led to a slightly childish game of stare down. Finally Atticus sighed, not breaking eye contact. 

"Guys, go sleep. I will need one or both of you to take over for me in a few hours." Atticus thought if he made it out to be shifts they would listen. It worked to an extent.

Alexis rose gracefully and they shared a look. Atticus nodded his head, promising not to go vampire hunting. They both looked to Syrus as he looked back at Zane. He reached into his pocket and pulled out Cyber End Dragon and placed it on his chest, using his right hand to keep it in place. For the barest of moments, the three duelists thought they saw Zane's finger twitch when they connected with the card.

"Sy, I promise you I will call you should he wake up," Atticus swore.

Finally Syrus nodded his head and after brushing his hand against Zane's, he turned to leave. Alexis wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulders and with one last look at her brother, led Syrus out of the room and decided to walk him to the Slifer Dorm.

Atticus was finally alone with two sleeping duelists. One still hooked up to an IV and oxygen the other off his oxygen but still recovering. Atticus settled himself in the chair Syrus was just in, and put his hand over Zane's.

"If you can hear me Zane, we need you to fight to come back. I know you are tired, but we all need you back. Syrus is a little wreck and quite frankly I need you back to help handle all these first years I seem to have attracted." He squeezed the cool hand. "Please just come back."

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Zane felt as if this somehow was worse than the physical torture and brainwashing he endured for two years. The sound of that insane vampire woman, taunting him and threatening his little brother were just about all he could take. He gritted his teeth against the laughter he heard.

Why the hell would Sheppard have Syrus be a key keeper? Syrus was too kind, he didn't have the ruthless edge needed. Once Zane got his hands around Sheppard’s throat, he wouldn't have time to take it back.

"If you can hear me Zane, we need you to fight to come back. I know you are tired, but we all need you back. Syrus is a little wreck and quite frankly I need you back to help handle all these first years I seem to have attracted." Zane felt something squeeze his hand, the one that was holding Cyber End Dragon to him. "Please just come back." Zane heard the voice of his best friend Atticus. 

Syrus needed him? Everyone needed him? The warm combined glow of his duel spirit and the shadow charm were able to start dissolving the shadows and chains holding him. He heard the demonic voice of Hellshroud yell out threats and profanities at Zane as he slumped down onto a hard surface below him.

"You will never be free of me Kaiser. I will always be part of you!" The entity screeched.

A vampiric hiss sounded all around him. "I will find you darling. You and all the others will be mine."

Zane staggered to his feet and held his right arm to stop the throbbing pain shooting down it. He smiled at the darkness, for the first time he had a glimmer of hope. He had people he cared about and those that cared about him. The glittering image of Cyber End Dragon appeared behind him and raised its three heads in a roar.

"I won't be controlled!" He yelled into the darkness. He looked back at his duel spirit. "Cyber End Dragon attack! Super Strident Blaze!"

The monster was all too willing and blasted the darkness and lit it up with a gold and silver glow. Zane looked at vanishing black and smiled up at his friend. Reaching a hand out, he patted the middle head.

"Thank you old friend," he whispered.

A small light filled opening appeared in front of them and Zane turned toward it. Cyber End nudged him through the opening.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

If Atticus had not been staring he would have missed Zane's hand twitch toward the shadow charm. Atticus felt his brown eyes widen and he held his breath. Slowly, lashes lifted to reveal teal eyes that looked up.

Atticus stared down like an idiot for a few seconds and that was all it took for Zane to try forcing himself up and taking off his oxygen mask. He was able to sit up before Atticus realized what was going on and put an arm around him.

"Zane! You are awake!" He hugged his friend tight. "Hold on, let me get Syrus. He will be so-"

"Not the time Atticus. I don't have much strength and who knows if I will manage to stay awake for long." Zane stared at Jaden's bed. "I can tell you're awake Jaden," Zane said in a flat tone. The Slifer's brown eyes opened and he looked at the older Truesdale.

"What do you need?" Jaden asked as he forced himself up.

"You need to know a few things about that vampire Camula. She has a shadow charm that gives her the power to steal souls." Zane raised his hands and coughed harshly into them. Atticus rubbed his back. "You can beat her with another charm." He took the charm off from around his neck and tossed to Jaden.

Jaden looked shocked. He picked it up from where it landed on the bed. Looking from the other half of the shadow he himself wore, back to Zane's clouded teal eyes, he raised both brows in question. 

Zane gave a sardonic smirk. "She has a card known as Illusion Gate she will try to use. It allows her to break the rules of the game, all she has to do is offer a soul. Use that charm and stop her from stealing a soul from one of you. You don't necessarily have to be the one who duels, but you have to be there," Zane clarified.

"How will the charm stop her?" Jaden questioned. He slid the charm around his neck.

"It will create a barrier around people near you. That is all I know. I hope that does something." Zane's words started slurring and he slumped against Atticus.

The brunette wrapped an arm around his quickly fading friend. Jaden looked at the scene and felt his chest tighten. Zane had fought every step of the way and now they had an ace against Camula.

Atticus felt Zane go completely limp against him and his breaths short and ragged. Shifting, the older teen moved his once again unconscious friend back into the bed. Reattaching the oxygen mask to him, he pulled the blankets up.

Atticus turned his head and looked at Jaden. The Slifer was looking to where Zane was unconscious again, although he did look like he was breathing much better. The Obelisk, pulled out his Duel Link and dialed all of the members of their group. Telling them, they needed to talk and it actually needed to be now.

Ten minutes later, the room was full of everyone who was involved with this. Jaden was sitting on the edge of the bed and was swinging his legs back and forth, trying to work through the pain in his body. He wanted to be the one to avenge Crowler, but the look Atticus had on his face clearly stated who would be doing this duel.

“So, my brother woke up for a little bit?” Syrus asked sadly. His eyes were once again trained on Zane and the now steady rise and fall of his chest.

“Sorry Syrus, he wasn’t able to stay awake for long. It was clear that waking up for that long took a toll on him. But now that he came out of his coma, there is a larger hope he will recover and we will get answers later.” He looked at Jaden before continuing. “Zane gave Jaden the other half of that shadow charm. Now Jaden does not have to be the one who duels, but he has to be there. I figure if he has his jacket zipped up, Camula won’t see the charm. And she will be distracted by getting the opponent she wants.” Atticus had a hard set to his face. He would avenge not only Crowler but his friend as well.

“No! You can’t! She wants you specifically Atticus,” Alexis protested. She worried when his two friends vanished he would be next. This was something she was worried about, if he lost then she would lose her brother either way.

“I know Lexi. But I have the best chance, besides Zane, I have never lost a duel and I really don’t plan losing to her,” Atticus challenged.

Alexis went to argue, but a sharp look from her older brother had her clamping her lips shut. She had only seen that look a handful of times growing up and each time, it meant nothing you said would change his mind and you would only get in his way. She turned her head away and gritted her teeth. Atticus noticed it and promised himself he would talk to her later in private, when they both calmed down. No sense in getting everyone involved, when he and Lexi fought, it was never clean. They threw barbs at each other like no one’s business.

“So that settles that, I am going to duel her. You guys support Jaden, and keep him hidden. I will keep Camula focused on me and if she plays that card, hopefully the charm will cancel it out.” Atticus pulled out his deck and slid it into his duel disk. He was going in prepared for war.

Chumley moved over and helped Jaden onto his back and stood straight. Jaden gripped Chumley’s shoulders and looked at Syrus. He felt kind of guilty that he got to speak with Sy’s brother before he did. But this would help save them and when Zane woke up again, Jaden would make sure Syrus was the one he saw.

“Everyone, let’s go.” He looked at Syrus. “That means you too pal. Zane more than likely won’t wake up again tonight. I will let you sleep in here if that’s what you want, but we need to go.” Atticus stood with his hands on hips and didn’t budge until Syrus looked up and nodded his head.

The young teen, squeezed Zane’s hand one more time and turned to follow everyone out. Nurse Fontaine waved at them encouragingly. She prayed they all came back in one piece.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The teens all made their way to the castle and Chumley complained about the steps all the way up. If they weren't preparing for a harsh battle, the group may have found it funny. Finally Atticus had enough. 

"Quiet, we're close," he snapped quietly.

Everyone went silent and came into a two layered room. Two rounded edges sticking out that looked made for dueling. Camula strutted out with a hand on her hip and a smirk.

"Looking for me?" The question was sarcastically rhetorical. 

"That's right! We want Crowler’s soul back! And we want to know what you did to Zane!" Jaden yelled.

Bastion and Chazz moved forward to argue and threaten her. Atticus stood off to the side and met the vampire's eyes.

"I have no interest in children," she said pointing a sharp nail at Atticus. "Are you ready darling?"

"Let’s do this," he responded quickly.

Everyone went up to the second level. Atticus and Camula were on the outstretched sections. Both brought up their duel disks, and the fight for their souls began.

"I will let you go first darling," she smirked. That smile had Atticus sweating slightly. 

"Well if you insist, just don't cry about it later." He looked down at his cards and formulated a plan. "First off, I summon Red Eyes Black Chick." A little dragon in a red egg appeared on the field, squawking. "Now check out this little guy's special effect. If I sacrifice him, I can summon Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

Flames burst around the chick and it started screeching until it became a roar. A menacing black dragon appeared, its red eyes glaring right at Camula. Atticus looked up at his best card and smiled. He had a plan and Camula would be losing this duel.

"Next I play, Inferno Fire Blast!" Atticus flipped the card around and showed Camula. "Now my Red Eyes can attack you directly. Now go Red Eyes, show her why you don't mess with Duel Academy’s best," Atticus said.

Camula actually took a step back. The raging flame from the Red Eyes connected and she stumbled back. 2400 points of damage in one swoop. It wasn't possible, only Hell Kaiser managers to do that kind of damage to her.

Atticus stared at her with his arms crossed. "I place one card face down and end my turn."

"Man Alexis, your brother certainly lives up to his name of Atticus 'King' Rhodes," Jaden commented to Alexis.

She nodded her head and smiled. "Atticus hasn't really ever lost a match. He and Zane have tied many times, I always thought they did it on purpose to keep the rivalry going." Alexis looked up at her brother and prayed he knew what he was doing. 

Camula stood up again with her hair in disarray and her eyes glowed even brighter. "Darling you are forcing me to reveal my ugly side," she hissed out.

She looked straight from the screen of a horror movie. Long pointed tongue, fang elongated and her hair swirling around her. She smiled demonically at Atticus and he took an involuntary step back. 

"Now then darling. I play Illusion Gate." A giant door appeared behind her. The doors opened to reveal a rainbow inside and suddenly Red Eyes Black Dragon was destroyed. Atticus looked shocked. "Oh I'm sorry, I forgot to mention… Illusion Gate destroys all monsters on the field. And then I can summon any of them to my side of the field. All it will cost me is a soul."

She looked over to the group and cackled. Bringing her hands up like a little school her and touched her necklace and black mist began to swarm around everyone. Atticus felt his heart stop, he hoped Zane was right and the shadow charm canceled it out.

"But this is just too hard of a choice. I think I will take all of their souls as payment."

Everyone was coughing and holding their throats. Atticus stood by helplessly and grit his teeth. Finally something happened. A gold light came from Jaden’s chest and forced the shadows away. They all looked relieved and smiled at one another.

Jaden slid from Chumley's back and used Syrus to help steady him. Smirking he opened his jacket and showed that the two halves had become whole once more. Atticus smiled in relief and Camula stared stupefied. 

"Thanks Zane, couldn't have done it without you," Atticus thought.

"Where did you get that? That belongs to Hell Kaiser!" she screeched at Jaden. 

"It pays to have friends Camula," Jaden shot back.

"Never mind. Illusion Gate, open your doors and accept my soul as a sacrifice. Now then I summon Red Eyes Black Dragon."

The ace in Atticus’s deck appeared and roared at its original master. But before Camula could order the attack, Atticus had a trick up his sleeve.

"Not so fast. I play my facedown. Change of Heart! This puts Red Eyes back in my control."

Everyone watching smiled in relief. He managed to get out of that one. Red Eyes appeared back on the field for him. Camula hissed in displeasure and summoned a monster for her in defense mode. 

Atticus drew a card and nodded his head. He wasn't in the best of moods, so he wanted to end this quickly, but first he had a couple of questions. 

"How many Shadow Riders are missing students?" Atticus asked suddenly.

Camula looked at him confused. "What are you talking about?"

"He means that Hell Kaiser was a student taken from here. How many others are there?" Jaden yelled.

Camula turned her head to look at him. "So you knew Hell Kaiser before he joined us? Well I don't know much about them, but he was so wonderful to have. And I look forward to the day he is mine again," Camula laughed.

That comment was enough to put Atticus over the edge. His friend was not a toy, or a pawn as these people had treated him. This was ending now! He looked the dragon on his side of the field. He closed his eyes for a moment and snapped them back open.

"I sacrifice my Red Eyes Black Dragon to summon my ultimate monster." In a gust of wind and flames a new even more menacing dragon appeared. "Say hello to Red Eyes Darkness Dragon."

The darker dragon roared and it seemed as though shockwaves rippled through the room. Everyone tried to cover their eyes, but squinted at the dragon. It was rare for Atticus to pull it out, he normally stuck with Red Eyes Black Dragon. But the mood he was in, had him wanting to cause destruction. 

They all looked at the 'King' of Duel Academy. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest and a hard set to his eyes and face. His brown hair and back of his jacket swayed with the wind. He looked actually slightly menacing with that pose.

"And get this Camula, thanks to my Red Eyes Darkness Dragon's special effect his attack points raise 300 points for each dragon in my graveyard. Taking his attack points from 2400 to 3000." The dragon roared again. Atticus flipped another card over to face Camula. "I also play the spell card, Stop Defense. Moving your Vampire Lady from defense to attack mode."

Camula took a step back, fear as she had only felt once before clear in her eyes. Hell Kaiser was the only one to ever get to her in such a way and now… now another boy was doing the same thing! It was inconceivable!

"Now, Red Eyes Darkness Dragon, attack Vampire Lady! Infernal Fire Ball!" Atticus ordered and watched in satisfaction as the monster did just that.

Camula's lifepoints hit zero, and she slumped down. Her hair fell over her face and everyone stood shock still. Atticus clicked his duel disk closed and stared at her. He was going to demand answers. Before any of them Illusion Gate appeared behind her once again. Terrified, she looked at it.

A large ghost hand game out and wrapped around her throat. She choked and the hand yanked back, pulling her soul out as well. No one could move or speak, it was a terrible sight to witness. 

After her body disappeared, everyone noticed a glow coming from Chazz’s pocket and Crowler came back in his full form. The two proceeded to argue and Chazz tried pushing the older man off of his side. Atticus watched with a sweat drop rolling down his face, not sure if it was comical or just sad.

Suddenly, the whole castle started to rumble. Everyone looked up and noticed the chandelier shaking before it crashed to the floor.

"Bro! The castle is falling apart! We need to get out of here!" Alexis yelled.

Atticus whirled around and took off down the staircase and jumped the last three. Chumley had Jaden back on his back and everyone else was behind. Atticus sprinted ahead and reached the door that was closing down on them. It seemed like Camula was trying to take them down with her.

Reaching the door, he braced himself against it to force it open. The others picked up the pace to reach the door. Atticus was straining to keep it open and prayed that they hurried up.

Finally everyone made it out and he jumped from the archway. As he made his way down the red carpet over the lake he saw everyone made it out. Bending at the waist and resting his hands on his knees he caught his breath.

Overhead the constant clouds of the past couple days started to dissipate. Everyone looked up and saw the sun shining down on their faces. Atticus straightened to his full height, and closed his eyes.

He did it. He was able to avenge his friend and any other student that was taken by the shadows. Opening his eyes, he promised to find as many of the others and more importantly to keep Zane safe and out of the hands of the rest of the Shadow Riders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a tough chapter two write mainly because you don't see Atticus duel so I kind of guessed on how this would go. I also used his Red Eyes Deck because I am somewhat familiar with it. I thought about using the deck he uses from the Manga, but I didn't know enough about it. I hope this came across the way it did in my head. I wanted to have Atticus take her down for his friend. And come on Jaden doesn't need to have every victory. Hope you enjoyed it. Thoughts and comments welcome.


	14. Lost Memories

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: LOST MEMORIES

During the duel with Camula, Zane Truesdale lay in the hospital bed, gripping the fusion card in his hand. For the first time, there weren't any voices or threats resounding in his mind. His duel spirit, Cyber End Dragon, seemed to be keeping them away and for that he was grateful. A sound caught his attention and he opened his eyes slightly to see the nurse slump down in her seat. Zane tried to force his body up, but he didn’t have the strength.

A dark figure stepped in front of him and Zane felt his eyes widen and his heart start to race uncontrollably. Just when he felt even the slightest big safe, of course this would happen. Amnael stood in front of him, with the mask and hood on, obscuring his identity even now. Zane watched as he opened the book and he felt terror all over again. He didn’t want to go back to being Hell Kaiser and under their control.

“Don’t fight it my boy. I won’t be taking you back with me. If I did, then there would be more investigations and we can’t afford that.” The strange symbol glowed an eerie green again. Zane felt his mind cloud, and what little strength he managed to recover, he felt leave him once again. “However, we can’t have you remembering anything. So this is just to seal your memories, just fall asleep again. Once you awaken, you won’t remember anything and feel no pain.”

Zane tried fighting it, he wanted to make sure they knew that the danger was far closer than any of them realized. However the temptation to sleep was being whispered and he eventually succumbed. His eyes slid shut and his breathing was starting even out. Fingers went limp on his fusion monster and he slid into blessed darkness, for the first time it was quiet and no torture was awaiting him.

Amnael closed the book and looked down at the sleeping teen. He looked younger in his sleep, the last two years of brainwashing had aged him considerably. Not just physically but mentally, Zane turned into the protector for the others in the Shadows. Unfortunately that meant he was targeted and suffered the most. He was also forced to survive, while the others were allowed to give up.

Looking out the window, he saw the sun coming out and the dark clouds disappearing. Sliding the book back into his cape, he moved to leave the infirmary.

“It seems as though Camula has lost. Such a shame… she was only able to get one key. Oh well, Hell Kaiser won’t be able to reveal any plans once he awakens,” Amnael murmured.

As he went by the nurse, he used his dark magic to implant a memory of her checking on Zane and he was resting comfortably the entire time. No need to have anyone looking before the rest of them were ready for the final move.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The group made their way back to the infirmary building. Jaden was incessantly chattering, and somehow Atticus found it amusing. With the sun out for the first time in days, they all were soaking it up and enjoying it on their walk back. 

“I mean seriously Atticus! You and I have got to duel once this whole thing is over. I want to go up against you and Zane again. Man, if he hadn’t managed to come to his senses and save Sy and me, that duel would have turned out a whole lot differently,” Jaden continued on.

Atticus laughed and looked back at the brunette Slifer. “Tell you what, keep it up Jaden and you might just get your wish.” A devious smirk came across the Obelisk’s face. “But I should warn you, when Zane and I were ‘Twin Jewels of Duel Academy’ we never lost. Besides one another, there has not been another duelist who takes us on and wins.”

Jaden, who was now walking mostly on his own, fist pumped the air. He looked at the others and noticed that Syrus was picking up the pace. Jaden looked at the back of his friend’s head and knew he was anxious to get back to his brother. Syrus was essentially camping out in the infirmary. The one time he was sent back to his room, Zane woke up and now Syrus was going to be even harder to drag out of there.

Syrus turned back around, waved at them and took off in a sprint toward the infirmary building. It would take an army to remove him from his brother’s side now. He planned on staying in there until his brother awoke and was released from the hospital. Nothing would get him out of there now. And he had the perfect excuse.

The rest of the group watched Syrus take off running up the incline and shook their heads with smiles. They were glad to have another Shadow Rider taken care of and one step closer to keeping the world safe from the sacred beasts. And once Zane has enough strength to stay awake for any length of time, there will finally be answers.

As they reached the main part of the island, Sheppard was waiting for them. He had a smile on his face as he gave a little wave to the group. Atticus and Alexis were in the front, Jaden was slightly to the left and behind Atticus. Bastion, Chazz, Chumley and Dr. Crowler were coming up on the rear.

“Thank you. Now that two Shadow Riders are down, things will be harder from here on out, but we have to be prepared for the worst. I imagine that they will have the Shadow Riders getting more difficult to beat.” Sheppard looked at all the faces in front of him. He noted the duel disk on Atticus’ arm, he figured the older teen was the one who dueled and won. “So you beat her Rhodes?”

“I wasn’t going to let this go Sheppard. She was responsible for at least some of the pain for what Zane went through. She may also have been responsible for things done to other students. There was no way I was letting this go,” Atticus replied.

Sheppard nodded his head. “Get some rest you all. Professor Banner and Dr. Crowler will get all your assignments to you to complete. Enjoy the sun today kids,” Chancellor Sheppard said with a smile.

They all nodded their heads to one another and all went different directions. Jaden, Chumley and Chazz all made their way to the Slifer Dorm. Bastion walked to the Ra Dorm. That left the Rhodes siblings looking at one another a little uncomfortably.

“Lex, I’m sorry for brushing off your worries. I just knew that out of all of us, I had the best chance… Zane is my best friend Lexi, his disappearance nearly killed me. Especially since it was so soon after Yusuke’s. Please don’t be mad at me,” Atticus was not above begging. He pulled his sister into a hug and felt relief when after a few tense moments she hugged him back.

“Apology accepted, I’m not saying it’s ok, because it’s not. But I can see your point of view.” She pulled back and gave a sickeningly sweet smile. “Now, if Camula somehow managed to defeat you… I would have shaved your head as revenge for making me worry.” She winked at him and with a pat on his face, she made her way back to the Obelisk Dorm.

Atticus was left staring after, he had to laugh nervously and ran a hand over his hair. He knew his little sister was not kidding, while they got along better than most siblings… they still had very strange and vindictive ways of payback. But if she admitted it to him, then she wasn’t still considering it. She loved the element of surprise and telling him defeated the purpose.

Looking after his sister for a few more moments, Atticus made his way to the infirmary to see if Zane had woken up and see what Syrus wanted for lunch. They all needed to eat and catch up on some sleep.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The next morning, Syrus was sitting by his brother’s bedside. He was looking at the study notes Professor Banner gave him, knowing he was not leaving his brother’s side. He wanted to be able to show his brother how much he had grown in the past two years. Show him that he knew how to PLAY a card not just use it. Syrus smiled with the thought.

Movement caught his eyes and he looked up. A wide grin split his face, Zane was waking up. His eyelashes fluttered and opened to reveal his teal eyes. They looked a little clouded, but Syrus didn’t care. He saw the eyes open and that was all that mattered. Standing up, he stood over Zane and removed the oxygen mask.

“Big brother! You are awake, I am so glad!” Syrus couldn’t stop himself from exclaiming.

Zane just stared blankly at him. It was a stare that Syrus didn’t understand. While Zane had never been the most expressive person, he never looked at Syrus blankly. Not even right before his vanishing, when there was the start of distance between them.

“Big brother? Zane are you ok?” Syrus asked worriedly. He was actually ready to panic.

Zane forced himself into a seated position and looked around the room, a little lost. He narrowed his eyes straight ahead and cringed. Placing a hand on his head, Zane appeared to be in pain. He closed his eyes tightly and sucked in a breath.

“Nurse! Nurse Fontaine I need help!” Syrus yelled.

A moment later, Nurse Fontaine rushed to the bedside and noticed Zane gripping his head now with both hands. She moved Syrus out of the way and gently touched Zane on the head, checking to see if he had any injuries. At that moment, the door opened and Atticus as well as Jaden walked in. Both saw the scene and rushed to the bed.

“Zane? What happened?” Atticus demanded. Not even when he woke up for the first time, did he have this much pain.

“We aren’t sure, he woke up and something wasn't right with his eyes. Atticus… he looked at me as if he didn’t recognize me,” Syrus finished sadly.

That confused the older duelist. How could Zane not remember Syrus… no something was wrong. He knew who Syrus was when he first woke up. He had been mostly himself and had even gotten snippy. Atticus shook his head, something was not right.

About 15 minutes later, Zane didn’t appear to be in any more pain. Nurse Fontaine had said she couldn’t find any injuries on his head. That it might have just been a headache and she left them for a moment to go get Sheppard. He let his hands fall from his head and he looked at the other two duelists in the room. Raising an eyebrow at both of them, Atticus saw what Syrus was talking about. Zane’s eyes were blank. That wasn’t right, not at all.

“Zane, do you know who we are?” Atticus asked carefully. Syrus and Jaden stood on either side of him, watching Zane closely.

Zane looked at all three of them, a sweatdrop rolled down his cheek. He squinted his eyes as if he was trying to think, but it didn’t look good. Finally the older Truesdale shook his head sadly, with his eyes closed. He opened them again and a moment of panic flashed in those teal depths, before they went blank again.

Syrus choked and sank to the floor. Atticus grabbed him and led him to the chair next to the bed. Jaden stood in shock. Zane knew who he was when he came to the first time, appearing to not have any memory problems that time… but he had not been conscious very long either.

The door opened once again and in walked Sheppard and the nurse. Both looked worriedly at the scene in front of them. Sheppard walked over to his old student and looked down at Truesdale in the bed. Zane had forced himself to sit up, leaning against the backrest and looking at the people in the room with suspicion and confusion.

“Truesdale,” Sheppard started. Zane looked at him right away, just like he used to. “Do you know who you are?”

It took a moment to answer. “I know my name is Zane. I know that I am clearly in some infirmary… everything else is foggy.” His gaze slid to Syrus again as the younger cried into Atticus’ side. “I didn’t mean to make him cry. I apologize if I am supposed to know you all.” Zane’s tone became sad.

Sheppard staggered back. His eyes wide and face ashen. Just when they thought Truesdale was safe and sound, something else happened. He wasn’t the type to play pranks so Sheppard knew this was a very large problem. He looked to Rhodes, he and Truesdale had been friends for years… maybe he could get through to him. Atticus noticed Sheppard looking at him and nodded his head.

“Zane?” Atticus waited until his friend looked at him. “Why don’t we start with introducing ourselves? Maybe that will help jog your memories. After the literal hell you went through, this could be your mind trying to protect itself.” Atticus knew he was grasping at straws, but even straws were better than nothing.

Zane cocked his head to the side, his teal bangs falling into his face. He brushed them aside and if this situation were not so disturbing, Atticus would have found it cute and teased him mercilessly about it. Finally Zane’s gaze touched on everyone in the room. He nodded his head and looked at Sheppard first.

“My name is Chancellor Sheppard. I am the head of this school. You were one of our top two students at one point. You and I knew each other years ago. I gave you your Cyber Deck,” Sheppard said, forgetting that Jaden and Syrus were in the room. Zane looked down at his hand where Cyber End Dragon was. Sheppard smiled. “Do you still hear it? Can you still communicate with Cyber End?”

Zane’s head whipped up and his eyes were wide. “Did I tell you that?” he asked quietly.

“Yes, that was the reason I knew you were destined to have Cyber End Dragon. You have made me proud with how you handled yourself and when I gave you the card, you exceeded all expectations,” Sheppard explained.

Zane sucked in a breath and looked back down at the card. He brought it closer and held it gently. He looked a little less wary of Sheppard now though.

“I’ll go next, I am Atticus Rhodes. You and I have been best friends for years,” Atticus said. Zane looked at him curiously. “We met back in middle school. You had the title of Top Duelist and were getting a little bored with dueling. Every person you dueled you took out with perfect victories. But when we dueled you said it was finally a challenge and something to enjoy.” Atticus watched Zane’s face carefully. Not one flicker of awareness.

Atticus looked down at Syrus who stopped crying and was looking at his brother. Nudging the younger Truesdale, he motioned for him to try. Maybe the bonds of family would be enough to get through whatever was blocking Zane’s memories. So Syrus sucked in a breath and looked at his brother.

“I’m Syrus, your younger brother. You and I were very close, but there were some problems and we started drifting apart.” Zane’s eyes flashed with sadness for a split second. It was the first sign of anything yet. “But you taught me an important lesson and it was one that helped me grow as a duelist.” Syrus gave a watery smile. “I promised myself that when I found you again, I would show you what kind of duelist I have become. You would be proud of me,” Syrus finished and everyone held their breath.

Zane looked at Syrus, and it was clear he was trying to remember. However just like with Sheppard and Atticus, there was no flicker of awareness. His gaze was still blank, but he was clearly trying to hide it.

“Well then we have even more reason to beat these Shadow Riders!” Jaden exclaimed, drawing all eyes to him. He looked at Zane and nodded his head. “Zane, you and I never really knew each other. But the way Syrus and Atticus spoke of you and how amazing of a duelist you are… I know we will get along.”

The confused teen just looked at Jaden, this time there was no emotion in his eyes or face. Not that they expected it. They didn’t know each other and their short introduction had been Zane being controlled.

Syrus looked at his brother and nodded his head solemnly.

“I promise Zane, I am going to get your memories back. Even if I have to go through hell itself, I will get them back for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was a little shorter because I didn't want to go into everything quite yet. Syrus is going to be similar to how he was in seasons 3 and 4. His confidence has been growing under Jaden and Atticus. Now he has a reason to fight and he wants to help save his big brother. I personally loved how their relationship grew over the series. Granted the manga had a better relationship, but by season 4, Zane acknowledged Syrus and even said he would be the one to catch up this time. I am going to be including little scenes where Syrus is spending time with Zane to try and help. Now in the canon anime, it bothered me how Atticus woke up the first time remembering and even was able to help them win against Camula, but then later he had no memory. So this is my take on what would have happened and how it could be plausible. Hope you all enjoyed it. As always thoughts and predictions welcome.


	15. Bonds of Friendship

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP

Word spread through the small group of Zane’s missing memories. At the moment they were sitting in Professor Banner’s class. Chazz, Jaden, Syrus, Bastion and Chumley were sitting in a row as the Rhodes siblings were standing on the other side of the long desk. They were hanging out in the class until their class started. Professor Banner never seemed to mind and Dr. Crowler didn’t care as they had the highest scores in the school.

Syrus had his head down looking at the desk. Jaden kept looking at his friend, but didn’t say anything. There wasn’t much anyone could say, his brother had no memories. Not even just missing memories from the past two years, but he didn’t remember anything but his own name. According to the nurse, that was not a defense mechanism. If he had blocked out the painful things that happened, it would only be the past two years. But the fact that he didn’t know anything, was concerning.

Sheppard was going to go through the security footage, just to make sure that there wasn’t someone responsible. He also had campus security keeping an eye on the infirmary and he was keeping it quiet. Apparently Sheppard was taking the security of the recovered student, very seriously.

“So, Zane has absolutely no memories?” Bastion questioned quietly.

“It doesn’t make sense. When he woke up the first time, he knew names and gave us helpful information on Camula. Even gave us the ace to use,” Atticus responded. He glanced at the shadow charm that recently became whole once more, as it hung around Jaden’s neck. “Something happened and we need answers. Unfortunately the only person who can give us those answers, doesn’t have them.”

“He knew who I was when he saved Jaden and me,” Syrus whispered.

Everyone looked at him and remembered Syrus saying that. Alexis raised her hand to her chin and closed her gold eyes in concentration. “You did say that. You said that he told you he was proud of you. So it doesn’t make sense that he would suddenly forget,” Alexis said. She opened her eyes and looked at Syrus sadly. “Something must have happened. It’s the only explanation.”

Chazz nodded his head. He looked sideways at Syrus. He would suffer the tortues and flames of hell before he ever admitted it, but he came to care slightly for these people. When his brothers were berating him for losing the school duel, for wanting to win on his own merit, everyone here stood up for him. His gray eyes looked over at Atticus, the one who told him that he finally found his place. And he could have a family made up of his friends.

“Syrus, at least your brother loves you. And we will eventually find the Shadow Rider that can answer our questions. Once we do that, his memories will come back. And if on the off chance they don’t, at least you can create different ones,” Chazz said in his usual offhand manner. He had a way of talking that made him sound rude, but this group here knew it was just his way of speaking.

Syrus raised his head and blue eyes met his gray ones. Chazz was right and even though the thought made Syrus slightly sick to think about, at least his brother did love him. He was alive and was back physically. There was still hope and he knew that is what Chazz was trying to say.

“Thanks Chazz. You are right, at least he is back and alive. We can handle the rest as it comes,” Syrus replied as he smiled sadly.

Chazz nodded his head, as he went back to staring straight ahead, listening to the group with only half an ear. Atticus gave a smile at Chazz, he was coming a long way now. Before he would have been rude and insensitive just to be spiteful. But now, while his words could come across as that, they had good intentions behind them. He just needed to stick with them and he would be on his way to a whole new outlook and to crush his brothers later.

The bell chimed over the speaker system. Both Atticus and Alexis looked at one another and then to the group. They both waved to the younger group and made their way down the steps and out of the class to head to their respective periods. Alexis had gym and Atticus had his free period, and he thought it was high time Zane got out of the infirmary for a while.

Waving to his sister, Atticus made his way to the infirmary and walked in. Nurse Fontaine was standing by Zane’s bed. Zane was sitting on the edge and looking at her impassively. Nurse Fontaine had a clipboard in her hands and appeared to be writing something down. Atticus stood in the doorway waiting until they were done, no use interrupting what was happening.

“For the last thing, just let me check your heartbeat. The machines have been recording your heartbeat and it concerned me how irregular it has been.” She placed the clipboard on the small metal table next to his bed.

Zane nodded his head in assent. He had resigned himself to the fact that there were going to be countless tests to try and find out why he didn’t remember. And apparently whatever he went through, had taken a toll on his physical health as well. He pulled the black top over his head and she attached a couple of patches on his chest that had wires attached. The teen sucked in a breath when the cool adhesive side touched his bare skin.

“Sorry, about that. I know they are cold, but bear with it. I won’t keep them on any longer than they need to be,” she said with a smile.

Zane just looked past her and met the eyes of the new person in the room. Atticus hated how blank the stare looked. If possible, it looked worse today than yesterday when he woke up. Forcing a smile, Atticus moved closer now that he had been seen.

“So is he still a horrible patient?” Atticus asked jokingly.

When they were just starting out being friends in middle school, Zane got the flu. He had to be taken to the infirmary so Atticus and Yusuke took that responsibility. Even sicker than a dog, Zane still tried acting as if he was in control of everything. He hated being fussed over and when the nurses told him he would have to stay in his dorm room until it passed, he was not happy. Apparently he didn’t want to screw up his perfect attendance. Atticus remembered both himself and Yusuke looked at one another, thinking their friend was insane to be more worried about that, than his own health.

Nurse Fontaine whipped around shocked. She relaxed fractionally when she saw it was only Atticus. Smiling, she brushed the long bang out of her eyes. “He certainly isn’t as bad as he used to be. But he clearly still does not like being in here,” she said with a laugh.

Atticus leaned against the wall next to the bed and looked at Zane. The machines were just now starting to give a reading on his heartbeat. Both nurse and friend looked at the machine readout and Nurse Fontaine looked concerned. Picking up her clipboard, she made a couple of notes and printed off a copy of the readings. After she got what she needed, as promised the patches came off. She then turned her attention back to Atticus.

“I need to take these to Chancellor Sheppard. Please stay with him, the Chancellor has made it very clear he is not to be left alone,” she said quickly.

Atticus raised his eyebrows, but nodded his head. He knew enough anatomy that the reading was not normal and the concern the nurse had in her eyes, frightened him. Before she made her way out of the room, Atticus called out to her.

“Would it be alright if I take him out of here for a bit. Word has already gotten around the campus, so there isn’t much use keeping him cooped up in here. I am hoping some fresh air will do him so good.”

Nurse Fontaine turned back around to look at him. Her eyes went from Atticus to Zane, who was still just staring past both of them. Thinking for a moment, she finally nodded her head. “We need to get him a different jacket, I don’t want a trigger with the black leather jacket he was found in.”

“Not a problem, I have a couple spares of mine he can wear,” Atticus assured quickly. 

Granted he was a bit broader than Zane, but they would make it work until Sheppard reordered the style of jacket Zane used to wear. When the three of them were on top, Sheppard had three different styles of jackets made up and they each chose one. Atticus chose the one that had the entire back flared out. He felt like he was wearing a cape. Zane chose the one that had twin tails that flared out the back. Yusuke chose the one that was a mix of the two. It was a diamond shape but flared out the same way Atticus’s did.

Nurse Fontaine smiled and nodded her head. “That would be great. Just until we get his jacket reordered and resized for him.” With that she left with her notes to go speak to Chancellor Sheppard.

Atticus smiled and turned back to his friend. Spreading his arms out wide, he made a grand gesture of bowing and pointing in the direction of the infirmary door. “Well then Kaiser, shall we go?”

Zane simply looked at him. It appeared he wasn’t in the mood for conversation today. Well too bad, Atticus was going to get him to talk one way or another. He reached down and grabbed Zane by the bicep. When his hand closed around, he noticed how thin it felt, and it drove home just how bad this ordeal had been for his health.

He hauled his friend up and dragged him out of the infirmary. He would take Zane to the lighthouse. Granted they used to only go there in the evenings, but nights tended to get cold and with the weight Zane lost over the past two years, Atticus didn’t want to risk his health that way. They made their way through the mostly empty hallways and out the door. Once outside, Zane tilted his head up to the sky and closed his eyes. Atticus looked at him.

“You always used to do that. Everytime you stepped outside, your face was immediately toward the sky soaking in the sun. Yusuke even took a couple pictures of it and you tried to stop yourself, but old habits die hard and after a couple of weeks, you were doing it again. I made Yusuke promise not to take anymore pictures of you doing it. It was one of the rare times you looked so peaceful,” Atticus shared the memory.

His friend opened his eyes and turned his head to look at him, teal eyes meeting chocolate brown ones. Atticus forced a smile, it had truly become second nature to him. He reached out, grabbed Zane by the hand and pulled him toward the Obelisk Blue dorm. When the younger teen used to be here, their dorm had been the one that was now abandoned. So, even if Zane had his memories chances were good, he would not even know where to go.

They walked along the tree lined path and through the gardens to the top tier dormitory. Atticus opened the door and pulled Zane along. He appeared to be trying to recognize anything around him. His teal eyes would dart around occasionally while he was being guided toward Atticus’s dorm room. Reaching his door at the top floor and far side facing the ocean, Atticus inserted his key and turned it.

Pushing the door open Atticus yanked Zane inside. Zane looked around the room and cocked his head to the side. Atticus walked over to his closet and opened it. He grabbed the first jacket he could and turned back around. He found Zane had walked over to the window and out to the balcony. The wind blew his hair back and Atticus noticed that it really had grown. He stood tall and proud even now, and his arms hung limply at his sides.

Atticus walked up behind him and slid the jacket over his shoulders. He rested his hands on Zane’s shoulders and tapped. Zane looked over his shoulder to him and stared.

“Put your arms out. The wind is starting to pick up and if you get sick I am sure Syrus and Sheppard will kill me. Come on buddy, let’s get the jacket on and we can take a walk down to the lighthouse. We always enjoyed it there,” Atticus spoke softly.

Zane did what he was told, almost like an obedient child. That actually pissed Atticus off. Zane’s personality was to do everything himself and not take help. But here, he actually needed someone to care for him. While he would do it with no complaints, he wanted his old friend back. The fiercely independent and at times arrogant one.

Once Zane’s arms were in the sleeves, Atticus watched as Zane, as if from sensory memory, clasped the button on the collar up and rolled his sleeve to where he always liked it and buttoned that up. It gave Atticus a small bit of hope, that if Zane would do that like he used to, then there was hope for him to come back fully.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

As promised Zane and Atticus stood on the cement outstretched by the lighthouse. The waves crashed up against it and both Obelisks watched it. Atticus watched Zane closely and he racked his brain for what he could talk about. What could he bring up that would have a chance to at least spark some kind of reaction. He wanted to see anything in those teal eyes.

“I’m sorry,” Zane said suddenly.

Atticus jerked as if he were electrocuted. His chocolate brown eyes went wide and he shoved his brown hair out of his face when the wind blew it. He looked at Zane, who was not even facing him. He snapped his mouth closed and cleared his throat.

“What do you have to apologize for?”

“You are looking at me so intensely. It’s clear we knew each other and my not remembering is hurting you. I really don’t mean to.”

“Zane, look at me.” He waited until his friend did just that. “You have nothing to apologize for. Just the fact that you managed to survive as long as you did, and helped us when you could… that is a miracle in itself. I just wish that you didn’t have to keep suffering, it was clear you suffered more than enough for two years,” Atticus said vehemently.

Zane looked at the person who claimed to be his best friend. If that were the truth, then Zane felt he was incredibly lucky. Not many friends would not have given up hope and many more than likely would have left, deeming this kind of situation not worth the effort.

“Thank you, Atticus. I wish I could remember our friendship.” He paused for a moment. “Could you tell me how we met?”

Atticus smiled widely. He loved thinking back on that day. “Absolutely. You comfortable standing here? Because I plan on telling you in long detail.”

Zane nodded his head and turned his face back toward the ocean and watched the waves, but his attention was on Atticus.

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Atticus stood in the throng of students waiting to hear the opening speech from Duel Academy’s Chancellor. The day was a mild fall, wind blowing and a couple white puffy clouds in the sky. Atticus raised his head and looked up, he couldn’t wait to see where he placed. He knew he was going to be towards the top, if not the top.

The wind blew his hair around his face and he brushed it aside. As he moved his head around, he caught sight of someone standing indifferent among the crowd. He was on the leaner side and his teal hair was in jagged layers to his shoulders. He had his deck out and was flipping through it, with a smirk on his lips. Atticus couldn’t help but stare, this guy could be a good rival.

“Welcome to Duel Academy!” A jovial voice boomed. Looking up Atticus noticed that the Chancellor had taken the podium and was looking around the students. “I am very excited to see all of you grow here. You all are the new generation of duelists and I know you will make us proud. Now normally I announce the top duelist for the new class for each grade, but there has been history made this year. For the first time in the entering Middle School class there has been a three way tie!”

Atticus stood shock still. A three way tie?! Who in the world could have managed that? He glanced over and saw the teal haired boy was in shock as well. He looked at the Chancellor and narrowed his eyes. He appeared to be in as much disbelief as Atticus.

“Now I need the following students to please step up to the podium. Zane Truesdale.” Atticus watched the teal haired duelist start forward. “Yusuke Fujiwara.” Atticus noticed that the boy two over from him started up as well. He had green hair down to his shoulders and violet eyes. “Finally Atticus Rhodes.” Atticus started moving up and the three boys all looked at each other.

Once all three were standing next to one another and faced the crowd. The Chancellor looked at all of them, with a wide grin on his face. He motioned to them with a large hand and ran the other down his burgundy academy jacket. His face held pride and the smile made him seem years younger than he actually was.

“These three young teens have already exceeded all expectations. A three way tie for perfect scores, has never happened before. I wanted to make sure they were acknowledged for such a feat and I plan on seeing great things from each of you.” He clapped his hands together. “Now students, I expect you to do great things. Please look at your letters and they will tell you what dorms you ranked in. Have a wonderful year!”

The crowd of students started to move away and find whatever dorms they were placed in. Atticus stood in between Zane and Yusuke. He looked at both teens, a grin making its way onto his face. He threw his arms around both sets of shoulders and pulled them closer.

“We are going to be eternal friends forever!” Atticus exclaimed.

Both of the other teens looked at one another and then back at Atticus. Eyebrows raised in question. They just met, were told all three tied for top placement and this kid thought they were going to be ‘eternal friends forever’?

“No taking it back. So it was said, so it shall be!” Atticus couldn’t keep the excitement out of his voice. They would make this year exciting.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Back in the present Atticus laughed. Zane looked back over at him. As he did the first time they met, Atticus threw an arm around Zane’s shoulders and pulled him close. Their cheeks rested together and Atticus pulled out his Duel Link. He snapped a picture and then let go of Zane, but he noticed his cheeks were red.

“It took me weeks to wear you down. Yusuke was in such desperate need of a real friend, he was the easier out of the two of you. But you it took me dueling you and forcing you to think, before you agreed to be friends with me.”

Zane appeared deep in thought. Atticus was hopeful this triggered at least something. Finally he raised teal eyes to look at Atticus.

“Where is Yusuke?” Zane questioned quietly.

Atticus froze for a moment. How did he answer this? He was positive that Zane knew something about Yusuke’s disappearance, but he couldn’t exactly say that now. It would put unnecessary guilt on Zane’s shoulders when he didn’t even remember anything at the moment. Finally sucking in a breath, he tried to phrase it as best he could.

“Yusuke went missing shortly before you did. No one knows anything, which is why I am so glad you were found and rescued. That means we might be able to find him again as well.” Atticus gave a reassuring smile to his friend.

Zane looked at Atticus with an impassive stare, one that boarded far too close to that blank stare he has been wearing. Atticus watched as Zane placed a hand on the side of his head and put pressure, as if something in his mind hurt. He stood there for a moment before he put a hand on the shoulder of his best friend.

“Don’t try to force it, Zane. You will remember and worst case scenario, we just find whoever did this to you and force them to undo it. You have people who care about here. We all have your back, and when you get back to your old self, you more than likely will be wishing you would have alone time. Because forewarning, you won’t have any time alone. If Syrus isn’t with you, it will be me,” Atticus said in all seriousness.

Zane let his hand fall from his head and he looked at Atticus. It was clearly written on his face that he wasn’t kidding. Zane was equal parts touched, but a sense of foreboding settled in his gut. Part of him wondered how the ‘old him’ would react to this news.

“Zane, our friendship is a special bond. I will make sure you heal and recover your memories. The only thing you have to do is focus on yourself. Get your strength back, and let your body and mind heal.” Atticus smiled, and for the first time it felt easy and natural.

The sun was setting over the ocean as both teens turned to look at it. Atticus slid his arm around Zane’s shoulders as they stood there watching the setting sun. He looked at the brunette next to him.

Bond of friendship huh? Maybe it was what he needed to heal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was more filler, but I felt it was a necessary filler. This chapter was part of my initial inspiration for this series. Atticus wanting to help his friend remember and pledging to not let him out of his sight. I will be getting back to the Shadow Riders soon, they are a huge part after all. But I always wanted to know what went on during the 'down time' in between Shadow Riders. So this is me filling in the blanks. Let me know what you all think. I love reading the comments and predictions.


	16. Brotherly Differences

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: BROTHERLY DIFFERENCES

A few more days passed and there was no sign of anymore Shadow Riders. The group did not think for one moment that they were in the clear. However all of them tried to find some form of normalcy. They went to class, hung out with one another and even on a few occasions met with Sheppard to talk about what the situation was looking like with the Sacred Beasts.

Syrus Truesdale was walking to the infirmary once again. Professor Banner made a deal with Syrus that as long as his grades stayed about an 80% average he could spend as much time with his brother as he wanted. Even though some of the uneasy feelings still were in the back of his mind regarding the Professor, Syrus was going to be taking full advantage. There was still some guilt for not being there when his brother’s memories were stolen. If he had been there, then maybe he could have stopped it.

He reached the infirmary and found his brother sitting on the bed’s edge looking down at the card in his grip. Syrus walked closer and saw that it was Cyber End Dragon. Even without his memories, his older brother still treated that card as if it was worth more than gold. That simple fact made the younger smile. If his brother still had similar mannerisms then there was hope after all.

Zane raised his head and teal eyes met light blue ones. The brothers stared at one another for a few moments, both unsure what to say. Finally Syrus couldn’t hold back and he jumped at Zane and wrapped his arms around his neck. Zane went shock still and looked at the younger teen. His arms were outstretched at his sides, unsure if he should embrace. Finally Syrus gave a hard squeeze and let go.

“Sorry. I have been so happy that you are back. I know you can’t remember me yet, but I have never once stopped looking for you. Or praying you would be found safe.” Syrus quickly whipped at his eyes. “I just want you to know that even though we had a falling out shortly before you vanished, I have always loved you and wanted to be able to show you the kind of duelist I have become.”

Zane simply stared at Syrus. He wished more than anything he could remember this young teen. It’s true they looked alike, so there must be some relation… but if they were brothers he wished he had some memories. Being in the complete dark made him feel very uneasy and guilty. People who claimed he had friendships with came to visit him, all he could do is sit there and nod his head and apologize for not remembering them. It was wearing on him.

“Syrus,” Zane started. He heard the name enough to put the name and face together. “I don’t know how I used to be… but I can tell you that now, I do care for you. If I felt even a fraction of what I do now, then I loved you. I can’t apologize enough for whatever happened… I hope to right that wrong.” Zane spoke as he often did, matter of factly.

Syrus gave a watery smile. All he wanted was to be with his brother again. He thought about what Chazz said, how at least his brother loved him. Chazz had some really crappy brothers, they all saw it at the end of the school duel. But Zane had never done that to him… not even when he scolded him not being able to PLAY Power Bond.

“Would you like to get something to eat with me?” Syrus scratched his nose as he asked. It was a nervous twitch that Jaden and Chumley poked fun at.

Zane smiled slightly and nodded his head. Perhaps if he couldn’t remember how he used to be, he could start fresh and make changes moving forward. He stood up and reached over for the white jacket that was still on loan from Atticus. When his hand grabbed it, a thought crossed his mind. Maybe Syrus would have some answers.

“Syrus, what kind of relationship did I have with Atticus?” Zane asked as he wrapped the coat around him and buttoned it up.

Syrus raised a thin eyebrow. “You guys have been friends for years. You met in the Middle School portion of Duel Academy. When Family Day came around we met him and you guys seemed close. Apparently it made his family happy that he had a level headed friend. It made mom and dad happy that you had an outgoing friend. You balance each other perfectly,” Syrus tried to explain.

“So we were close?”

“Yeah, you guys were best friends. Why? Did something happen?” Syrus became worried.

Zane closed his eyes and shook his head, causing his teal hair to shift around his face and neck. His eyes opened and he looked at Syrus with a small smile. “No, nothing happened I was just curious. I feel like he is trying to spare my feelings and not make me feel even guiltier for not remembering. But I want to know if there is anything important.”

Zane thought about the other evening at the lighthouse. It seemed as if he should remember something special about that place. Atticus throwing his arm around him, it actually made him wonder. Pushing those thoughts away for the moment, he looked at his brother grabbing his hand and pulling him to the Card Cafe for lunch.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Chazz lay in his bed with arms behind his head staring at the ceiling. His gut was in knots and he couldn’t figure out why. Something felt off and he really couldn’t put his finger on it. He heaved a sigh and jerked to a sitting position to look around the sorry excuse for a room.

Thinking back to his Obelisk Blue days with the large rooms and maid services… yeah he regretted taking advantage of it. There were boxes piled up with his old clothes, he outright refused to wear the Slifer Red jackets and instead stuck with the black outfit he got from North Academy. He was Chazz Princeton! He was an Obelisk elite, not a Slifer slacker!

“Hey boss you look stressed!” That annoying high pitched voice said. Chazz felt the light weight of his freaking duel spirit settle on his left shoulder. “Oh yeah, just look at all this tension building up.”

Chazz whipped his neck around to see the ugly yellow creature, Ojama Yellow. He wore red spandex underwear, had a strange body shape, full lips and two antenna looking things that held his eyes. Looking at him, caused Chazz’s blood pressure to soar.

“YOU!” Finally he had a target for this feeling. “If you want to be helpful, get lost!” The thing started crying rivers of tears. Chazz started swatting at him as Ojama dodged nimbly. “And if you want to see pressure-” Chazz clapped his hands together, effectively squashing him. “There, finally some peace and quiet.”

“What’s up?” Jaden’s voice sounded from behind him.

Chazz jumped like some poked him with a hot prod and he yelped. Whipping his head around he glared at the Slifer slacker only to see that it wasn’t just him. Atticus stood next to him and looked worriedly at Chazz. A hot flush crept up Chazz’s normally pale cheeks. Atticus was one of the few people who had his ultimate respect.

“Ever hear of knocking?” he couldn’t stop himself from snapping out.

Both Jaden and Atticus looked at each other in confusion. Finally they looked back to Chazz, who was still kneeling in the middle of his bed, that took up pretty much the entire room. Jaden snickered and Atticus sighed.

“Well we would have, but your door is all the way over there,” Jaden said pointing about five feet away.

Chazz froze and sucked in a breath. His face got even hotter from the embarrassment. “Not funny!” he exclaimed watching Jaden start laughing. Atticus gave a snicker.

“Yeah you know what is though?” Jaden gave a devious look. Chazz felt the foreboding feeling coming back with a vengeance. Leaping over to the bed, Jaden started to bounce. “This is!”

Atticus watched in amusement as Jaden bounced on the bed, forcing Chazz to be bounced around. Looking over his shoulder to make sure there wasn’t anyone looking, Atticus couldn’t help himself and he launched in the room as well. Chazz felt his eyes widen as he saw the school’s top duelist bouncing on his bed.

“By the way Chazz dude, Sheppard wants to see you!” Atticus gave a laugh as he bounced.

“Chancellor Sheppard? But why?” Chazz managed to get out in between bounces.

“Not sure, he told Jaden and I to come find you.” Atticus laughed and for a few moments felt like a kid, something he missed.

Atticus stopped bouncing and when Jaden came back down, he grabbed the Slifer by the arm and shook his head. He looked at Chazz with that smile again, it was the smile that told Chazz he did the right thing by choosing to stay. He had his place here, he just hoped he could keep it.

The three of them made their way to Sheppard’s office. On the way, they passed Syrus and Zane. Chazz took a moment to really look at the Truesdale brothers. They were sitting at one of the outdoor cafe tables and Syrus appeared to be showing Zane photographs. The older Truesdale looked at them in deep concentration, as if trying to force himself to remember. Chazz felt a pang of envy. Even with his missing memories, Zane still treated Syrus better than his brothers, Jagger and Slade, treated him. He knew the world was unfair, but that was just below the belt in his opinion.

The group walked into the main building and wound their way through the hallways to Sheppard’s office. Atticus was in front and Jaden walked right next to Chazz. The Slifer Slacker treated Chazz better than his own blood. Atticus was right in saying Chazz was better off here, where he had people who genuinely cared about him.

They walked into Sheppard’s office and found him sitting at his desk with a look of concern on his face. Professor Banner was sitting on the couch in the corner, stroking his cat. It gave them all the vibe of an evil mastermind, but all were wise enough to not say it outloud.

“I have some urgent new Chazz. Duel Academy is in need of you to save it!” Sheppard got right to the point.

All three students went still. This couldn’t be another Shadow Rider, they all had keys and all knew that they were the ones that stood between the evil ones and the fate of the world. Three sets of eyes met and then turned directly to Sheppard.

“What do you mean?” Chazz demanded.

“Someone wants to shut us down and gain control of the entire dueling world. This school is ranked the best and almost all of our students go on to the pro-leagues. By shutting us down, they can stop that influx and control who gets to the professionals and who doesn’t.” Sheppard took a breath and steepled his fingers. “Fortunately for us though, our owner has given us a way out. As long as the champion of Duel Academy wins the duel, they have no chance.”

“Let me duel them then! They can’t shut this place down!” Jaden cried out.

“The challenger has already been chosen.” Sheppard met Chazz’s charcoal eyes. “Chazz, they picked you.”

Suddenly the screen in the room beeped and flickered. Professor Banner stood up and walked over to it. Leaning over the keyboard, he keyed in a password. “I believe this is them, Chancellor.”

“Put them on screen,” Sheppard demanded.

The screen flicked on and low and behold there were the faces of Chazz’s brothers, Jagger and Slade. Suddenly the bad feeling Chazz had all day made perfect sense. Anytime these two were planning something and he would get the crap end, he got this feeling. When was he going to learn to trust his instincts.

“It’s your brothers Chazz!” Jaden pointed out the obvious.

Atticus narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. He felt protective of everyone in the group, and his protective instincts were in overdrive with Chazz right now. These two, who were supposed to protect and support him as older brothers, chose to tear him down, and disown him when it suited them.

“Lousy scrubs! What do you want?” Chazz demanded.

“Come on Chazz, don’t you know?” Slade, the one with the curled out hair and goatee spoke first. “Jagger.”

“Same thing.” Jagger who had short hair and looked like he wore too much eyeliner spoke next.

“Complete world domination,” they spoke in creepy unison.

“Remember? It was our little family project,” Slade continued.

“Heh, your project maybe,” Chazz interrupted. He was not about to stand there and listen to them scold him like a child.

“Well now it pretty much has to be, now doesn’t it Chazz?” Slade hissed.

“That’s right, because you couldn’t pull your weight,” Jagger finished.

Atticus could feel his muscles tense, with the strain of standing still and remaining quiet. He listened with half an ear, and when they outlined the terms of the duel it confused him. If they believed in themselves so much, why the hell would they give Chazz a handicap of only allowing him to use monsters with less than 500 attack points. And why would they want to use all those rare cards?

Oh wait he knew, they were cowards. His chocolate eyes slid to Chazz who had his shoulders hunched as if he already accepted defeat and it worried the Obelisk. He wanted to see the confidence, not the defeatist.

“500? That is ridiculous!” Jaden protested and Atticus agreed. “Say no Chazz.”

“He can’t say no. It’s already been decided. I get to use all the rare cards and Chazz uses garbage. After all you are, what you duel with,” Slade cackled as the screen went blank.

With shoulders still hunched, Chazz turned toward the door. Everytime he found something for himself, his brothers had to take it away. They didn’t want him to have anything and it hurt even after they had been doing it all his life.

“Best we better start packing,” he mumbled.

“Hold on Chazz you can do it! I know you can!” Jaden exclaimed from behind him.

“You’re wrong, I can’t.” With that he walked out of the office, defeated before the duel even started.

As Chazz made his way through the hallways, it was clear that word had already gotten around. All the students were whispering, some loud enough for him to hear. They were talking about how he just gave up, how he must want his brothers to win, how they never should have let him back here. The last one hurt the most.

“You’re all wrong!” a voice sounded and Chazz whirled around ready to give someone a piece of his mind. He saw Jaden standing there, defending him AGAIN! “I know Chazz can win this duel, because I’ve dueled him myself. And duelists don’t come much tougher.”

Chazz grit his teeth before responding. “Yeah, I know. That’s precisely the problem Jaden,” he snapped back.

“What do you mean?” Jaden couldn’t help but ask.

“Honestly Chazz, you aren’t making any sense here,” Bastion spoke as he walked up with Alexis next to him.

“Bastion’s right. Being tough is usually a good thing,” Alexis added.

All the students in the hallway gave plenty of room and allowed them to form a small circle of one another. They were watching with rapt attention. This was the answer to their questions.

“Look it’s just that-”

“It’s about Chazz being TOO tough, specifically his deck.” Atticus walked up and stood next to Jaden, keeping Chazz in the middle of them. “It’s about Chazz not even being able to duel.”

Everyone gasped and looked at Chazz for confirmation.

“It’s true, all my cards are too powerful.” He reached into his black coat and pulled out Ojama Yellow. With his eyes closed and a smirk he waved it around. “All I have left is this guy. Because of the condition my bros set up, my deck is useless.”

Everyone went silent and wide eyed. They realized he didn’t give up because he wanted Duel Academy to close, he gave up because he COULDN’T duel. Before anyone could speak, Professor Banner appeared out of nowhere on the stairs.

“Listen closely students, I have the solution. Deep in the forest is a well where duelists threw the cards they considered too weak to be worth anything. Now if this is true, then that may be the perfect place to start building this deck,” Professor Banner stated with his manic grin.

“Yeah, well I will take it. Those cards are about to get a whole new lease on life from The Chazz!” Chazz felt his confidence return and he rolled his shoulders back as everyone cheered for the fight to return.

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Two days later, the entire student body and teachers were gathered in the duel arena. Chazz stood on the stage facing his brother. He had been to the well, and Jaden even went with him. His entire deck was now outfitted with monsters that fit the requirement. The cocky swagger and glint in his eyes, told his friends he had no plans on losing here.

He glanced their way and saw them all sitting together. Syrus even left his brother’s side for the day to be here and be supportive. It was clear that they all had his back no matter how this turned out. Chazz would not disappoint anyone today. He would mop the floor with his brother’s smirking face.

“Ladies and gentlemen, today’s match determines the fate of Duel Academy. Slade Princeton vs Chazz Princeton,” the announcer said over the intercom.

Chazz looked at his brother and the sneering, condescending look on his face was enough to get Chazz’s blood boiling. More than anything he wanted to stick it to his brothers. Thinking back to what he told Syrus, at least Zane loves him. Chazz can’t say the same for his brothers.

“Let’s duel!” Chazz and Slade yelled together.

Everyone in the audience watched in awestruck silence. Chazz was doing better than anyone thought with the kind of handicap he was given. Atticus leaned back in his seat and kept his narrowed eyes on Slade Princeton.

He had a serious problem with both of the older Princeton brothers. But this guy was deriving a sick sense of satisfaction in torturing his brother. He had four high level monsters on his field, all rare to boot. This was a beat down in the most humiliating and degrading way possible. It pissed Atticus off.

“I activate the spell card, the Dark Door.” The card appeared faceup on the field. “And as long as this door is open for business, we can each only attack with one monster each round.” Chazz and his friends breathed a small sigh. He managed to get himself an advantage here.

“Nice try bro. But it’s just a matter of time until I knock that door down.” Slade drew a card. “Now, King Dragoon attack!” Chazz’s defending monster was blasted and next was Chazz’s turn.

Chazz summoned a cat in defense mode and all his friends knew he was getting desperate. This handicap was taking a toll on him, he couldn’t risk any monsters attacking him. Once Slade’s turn was up, he drew a card and chuckled darkly. It sent a bad feeling down the spines of all the spectators. However the worst was yet to come, when he laid a facedown card.

“My turn,” Chazz announced.

“Yeah that’s right. And because it is, my trap activates: Dust Tornado! Do you know what’s right in his path?” Slade cackled.

“I have a feeling,” Jaden muttered.

“Chazz’s Dark Door!” Atticus couldn’t help but yell.

On the field Chazz was cringing as he watched his last line of defense be taken away. He looked down at his cards and wanted to scream out. Just when he found the place he truly belonged, he was going to lose it. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again. When he did he saw the people he made as friends. Atticus, Alexis, Bastion, Syrus and even that slacker Jaden. They all believed in him. He wasn’t going to let them down!

He drew his card and looked down. FINALLY! Things were turning in his favor. He played his spell card and let Slade pick the card he gets to keep. Of course Slade being Slade, he walked right into the trap laid out. On his next move, he summoned the three Ojama Brothers… all three of them gave him headaches, but they showed him what true brotherly love is. Thanks to them, all four of Slade’s monsters were destroyed with a simple spell card.

Once that was accomplished, Chazz looked to his friends again and saw them all grinning. They could see he was turning this around, they were believing he was going to win. And he was! He summoned Chaos Necromancer to the field and allowed his special ability to do it’s thing.

“Sure he starts out weak, but he gains 300 attack points for each monster in my graveyard! How’s that for weak?” Chazz asked scathingly. Slade backed up in fright and Chazz felt joy surge in his blood.

“Wait! Hold on!”

“Now Chaos Necromancer! Attack him directly with Curtain Call Catapult!” The monster did as instructed and green flames with the images of all Chazz’s destroyed monsters rushed him “You go bye bye!” Chazz declared.

The explosion signaled the end of the duel. Chazz remained standing as Slade slumped to the ground. Everyone around him cheered and pumped their fists in the air. He looked around and caught sight of his friends all on their feet, even King Atticus.

“Wait!” he yelled out thrusting his hand out. The cheering stopped for a moment. “You know the cheer! Chazz. It. Up!” Chazz started the chant.

The students all started repeating the chant as Chazz stood there with a giant smile. His brothers couldn’t believe it. Chazz not only managed to defeat them, but to defeat them with a handicap that should have guaranteed their victory. It was inconceivable.

“Relax Jagger, it was only one duel,” Slade gritted out.

Jagger looked around the arena and back to the youngest Princeton. “One duel?! Just listen to them, this ONE DUEL has turned Chazz into a hero! And a major headache for us!”

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The brothers were escorted off the island and told to never return. The group of seven all watched them leave with relief in their minds. Duel Academy was safe, at least from those two. Deeming it time for bed, everyone was about to go their separate ways, promising to celebrate the next day.

Chazz grabbed Atticus by the arm. The older Obelisk turned his head and looked at Chazz with a question in his eyes. Chazz couldn’t meet his gaze, but this had to be done. Sucking in a breath, he looked at the one person who had his respect and gave respect back. He waited until they were alone before speaking.

“Thank you. What you told me weeks ago… about me finding my place here. About making a family with my friends… that showed me I don’t really need them. And what they said about me after the school duel was wrong,” Chazz whispered.

Atticus smiled and nodded his head. He slid an arm around Chazz’s shoulder and gave a one armed hug. His smile was genuine for the younger one and he felt like a proud big brother to him. He really did take in all the ‘strays’ this year.

“Chazz you saved the school. I know everyone is so proud of you, and your brothers now know your worth… and best of all it’s too late for them. You will conquer the world and leave them in the dust. Remember that.”

With one final shoulder squeeze, Atticus shoved Chazz in the direction of his dorm. A little wave and the two friends parted ways. Chazz felt lighter than he had in years, knowing his friends stood by him, always.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Truth be told, I wasn't sure how to write this. I know Chazz is a little OOC but that is the point. Atticus is a positive influence on him, so he is not as rough around the edges shall we say. His snark remains the same, because honestly I loved that about his character. But realizes that all these people are his friends. There will be more scenes with the Truesdale brothers trying to form a connection as well. Hope you all liked this chapter. As always, thoughts and comments welcome. Let me know what you think will come next.


	17. Deadly Distractions

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: DEADLY DISTRACTIONS

Bastion Misawa was up early as usual. He was standing on the cliff side and staring out into the horizon. His slicked back hair didn’t even budge from the sea breeze wafting on his face. He was anxious to get a duel with a Shadow Rider. Watching Atticus ‘King’ Rhodes duel and completely obliterate Camula was stimulating and slightly cathartic. He didn’t get to see Jaden duel against Hell Kaiser, who later turned out to be Zane… the missing older brother of Syrus.

Bastion opened his Ra Yellow jacket and looked down at his tactical vest that held his many decks. Pulling one out he flipped through the cards, double checking that everything was as he needed. He came across a card that he didn’t realize that was in there. The little card that was from his childhood. He looked around, wondering how it got into that deck… it didn’t fit with the theme.

He felt his face warm, and blamed the wind hitting it. He shook his head violently to clear it. Slipping the card out of the deck and into his jacket pocket, he put the deck away. Zipping up his jacket he slapped his cheeks twice.

“Alright! I will be the next to duel and take on the next Shadow Rider!” Bastion exclaimed to the morning.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus stood on the beach shore that morning, when he heard a shout he looked over to the north and saw Bastion standing on the cliffside. He smiled to himself, Bastion was really fired up and this could be interesting. Atticus just hoped the young Ra knew not to get too cocky, that would lead to an immediate downfall.

He turned his attention back to the waves and leaned against his surfboard. He had gotten up early and put on the wetsuit to get in an early morning surf. Surfing in the morning usually helped put him in a good frame of mind. However all it did now was cause his mind to race. Reaching in the little waterproof pouch, he pulled out his spirit key. This little thing held the weight of the world. He gripped it tight before putting it back in the pouch and attaching to his arm.

Seeing a good size wave, he grabbed his surfboard and made his way out. Maybe he just needed to get a good wave and let the wind and water just hit his face. Let them wash away all the depressing thoughts running through his head. He reached the wave and stood up on the board. Using his arms to balance, he rode the wave and splashed his hand in the water. He looked at the shore while doing it and was shocked to see someone standing there.

His chocolate eyes widened and he almost lost his balance. On the shore stood Zane Truesdale, with his arms crossed and his eyes staring right at Atticus. Changing direction, Atticus made his way to this friend.

Once on the beach, he stabbed his board into the sand and walked over to Zane. Their eyes met and Atticus tilted his head to the side. Zane wasn’t supposed to be out by himself. Sheppard made that very clear, he didn’t want to take any chances on safety.

“Does the infirmary know they have a jail break?” Atticus joked.

Zane smirked and shook his head. “Well not until you rat me out. I just needed some fresh air. I don’t know why, but I can’t stand being in four walls.” Zane shrugged his shoulders and closed his eyes. “I feel anxious, and the need to breathe becomes so intense I just need to leave.”

With Zane’s eyes still closed and his face tilted toward the sky, he didn’t notice his friend tense up. Right before he disappeared, Zane said something similar. That sent chills down his spine and a bad feeling settled in his gut. His hands snapped out and gripped Zane around his waist and chest. The move was so sudden and on instinct that both teens froze at the contact.

Atticus at this point didn’t care about any meanings or repercussions to what this action was, he just gripped Zane tighter. Zane tried to free himself, but to no avail. He was still weak from his time in the shadows and Atticus was a surfer and health nut. The guy was stronger than he looked. So Zane was resigned to just letting him stay like this for a bit.

“Atticus, what’s wrong? You aren’t letting go,” Zane said quietly.

“I just don’t want to lose you again Zane. You are the only person I have that knows me fully. Even without your memories, you accept me.” Atticus pulled away and looked Zane in the eyes. “You can’t go anywhere without someone with you. I mean it-”

A loud BANG sounded over the island. Both of them turned toward the direction and Zane took off. Atticus was standing there for a second, before he grabbed his board and made his way to run off as well. They raced and eventually came upon the Slifer Dorm. Atticus made his way in front of Zane and blocked him.

Out walked Bastion with three tired Slifers behind him. Bastion was laughing and the three behind him grumbled, they all had duel disks on. Both Obelisk duelists looked confused at the scene. Bastion seemed to notice them and with a massive smile waved at them.

“Good morning! We are just on our way to do some duel exercises. Would you both like to come?” The Ra smiled and motioned in the direction they were heading.

“Bastion… was that you that caused that bang?” Atticus asked.

Bastion nodded his head. “How else was I supposed to wake up these sleepy heads? They sleep through everything.” Bastion put his hands on his hips and shook his head.

Atticus smiled faintly and nodded his head. He knew that they could sleep through a tornado or earthquake if they wanted to. Syrus’s eyes lit up when he saw his brother and he pushed Bastion out of the way to get to his brother.

“Hey big bro. What are you doing out of the infirmary? I thought Chancellor Sheppard wanted you on bed rest until your memories and strength came back,” Syrus said, concerned.

Zane smiled indulgently down at Syrus. “Yeah, I am fine Sy. All I need really is someone with me, just in case something happens.”

Atticus grabbed Zane by the arm and pulled slightly. “Well, he needs to get back to the infirmary. Nurse Fontaine usually does some tests to make sure everything is healing. We will leave you guys to do your duel training.” Atticus met Bastion’s eyes. “Please do not blow anything up.”

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

It was time for class and it was the one class that Alexis had with the rest of them. Atticus was in this class alone. Had things turned out differently, he would be sitting next to his two best friends. Usually Yusuke wanted to sit in the middle, but other times Atticus would and he would force them to endure his muttering under his breath.

Walking up to his class, he noticed that other students were standing around waiting. Raising an eyebrow, he tapped one of the other Obelisks on the shoulder. They guy turned around and went wide eyed at seeing the King standing there.

“So what is the deal? Where is Dr. Crowler?”

“Not sure man. We have been waiting, but he hasn’t shown up and no one knows where he is. Which means no one knows what is going to happen with the class,” the male Obelisk responded. He ran a hand through his light blonde hair and closed his hazel eyes. “Man, I studied all week for this test. I was going to ace it for sure.”

“Students,” Chancellor Sheppard said. He happened to be walking by and saw the congregation of students waiting outside the door. “Is there a problem?”

“We can’t get in Chancellor,” Atticus responded. Sheppard looked at him and raised an eyebrow in question. “Apparently no one has seen Dr. Crowler and he keeps his class door locked.”

Sheppard pursed his lips. After the ordeal with Camula, Crowler was examined and the report said everything was alright for him to go back to teaching. So it didn’t make sense that he would not be here. Sheppard looked at the group of advanced students and made a decision.

“You all are to report to Professor Banner’s class until further notice. I will see about locating Dr. Crowler or at the very least to find a substitute teacher.” He looked Atticus right in the eyes. “Rhodes, tell Professor Banner that until further notice you will be in his class as well.”

All the students groaned. They were hoping for a day off or just not to get sent to the Professor’s class. His paradueling class was strange to say the least. Sheppard leveled all of them with a stare and they all complied, slumping their shoulders and made their way to said class.

Atticus looked at Sheppard. “Do you think something happened to him?”

“I don’t know. I will see about finding him, and why he isn’t here teaching as he should be. He doesn’t have a key anymore, so he won’t be a target for Shadow Riders anymore.” Sheppard smiled slightly at Atticus. “Try not to worry about this. Let me handle this one, you have enough on your shoulders.”

With that out of the way, Sheppard waved to his best duelist and made his way back to office. Atticus turned around and made his way to Professor Banner’s class. This would be interesting, he thought.

Once he reached the door, he realized that none of the other students went in yet. They all stood out waiting for him and their eyes were trained on him, as he walked into the class first. The others stood behind him and watched him walk up to Professor Banner.

“Yes Atticus, can I help you?” Professor Banner asked. He was petting his cat who was lying on his podium.

“Sheppard sent us here today. Dr. Crowler isn’t at class and we don’t have an instructor. Do you have room for about twenty of us?” Atticus glanced around the large classroom and noticed many empty seats.

“Yes, as you can see… I have many absences today. So you all may pick a seat and sit wherever you feel like it.” Banner motioned to the raised seats and the other students walked into the room.

Alexis looked at her brother and raised her eyebrows. They shared a look and he shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, silently telling her, he had no idea. Atticus climbed the steps to the row where Alexis was sitting and chose to sit next to her. He put the text books he was carrying down on the long desk and slid into the seat.

“So Crowler is missing? But he just got back from being a doll,” she whispered.

“I know Lex. Trust me I just spoke with Sheppard, he said he will be looking into it. He believes that Crowler is not at risk from the other Shadow Riders, mainly because he doesn’t have a key anymore.” Atticus kept his eyes forward to give the illusion he was paying attention.

About 30 minutes later a woman walked in carrying a bag. She was a known teacher’s aide and she wore a white and orange shirt with her orange skirt. Her brown hair was cut pixie style and she looked at Professor Banner and walked up to him with the bag.

“Yes? Is there a problem?” Professor Banner asked, concerned.

She leaned close and whispered in Banner’s ear. “Well do you recognize this bag?”

Banner looked down at it and moved his classes up and down. “Yes, it belongs to one of my students. Why?”

Of course, Jaden, Syrus and Chumley chose that moment to wake up. They all looked down where the two adults were speaking. The Key Keepers all exchanged glances and rose up. Banner looked up at them and raised an eyebrow. Atticus made his way down, with his sister at his side, the other first years bringing up the rear.

“We will look into this Professor Banner. If you have any questions feel free to speak with Chancellor Sheppard.” Atticus used his ‘King of the Academy’ voice.

The aide handed over the bag and looked at the group. Jaden moved up and took the bag, stepping aside to let Atticus speak. They looked at the de facto leader of their group. Atticus looked at the bag and then to the woman who found it.

“Where was this found?”

“It was found on the west side of the island, deep in the jungle,” she responded quickly with wide eyes.

“Thanks. We will handle it from here.”

They all made their way out of the room and went to get their duel disks. Something told them that they were about to be meeting the next Shadow Rider.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

They were heading deep in the jungle and Jaden was still carrying the bag. They were hoping to find the owner of the bag and possibly the other students who went missing in the last couple of days. They all wore their duel disks and were looking all around at the trees and foliage around them.

“I wonder why this bag was left all the way out here,” Jaden stated.

“Indeed, and another point. Where is the owner of said bag,” Bastion threw his two cents in as well.

Syrus looked around and shook his head. “I really hope no one is hurt. I feel like this island is cursed or something.”

Everyone started calling out at the same time. Hoping that someone would call back and let them know where they were and hopefully safe. While they continued walking, they came upon a sight no one would have guessed was out here. In front of them was a multilayered coliseum. It was made completely of stone and looked out of place on the island.

The group made their way towards it and walked inside the large opening. Hackles rose on them and Atticus felt something even further off. His gut was in knots and feelings of dread settled there.

Once inside, they looked around and saw many of the students that had been missing the past couple of days. They looked around the upper levels and eyes went wide when they recognized the missing students.

“Hey, isn’t he from class?” Syrus said pointing at a Slifer trying to move a large block.

Everyone looked over and Chumley nodded his head. “Yeah and so is she.”

“CROWLER?!” Chazz yelled out with his eyes bugged out and a fist raised.

Everyone looked to where Chazz was and their eyes went wide as well. Crowler was using a large crowbar and was trying to move a large cinder block. Crowler looked over when he heard his voice.

“What exactly are you doing?” Syrus called out.

“A man’s work,” he responded easily.

“They running low on men?” Atticus muttered under his breath. Alexis jabbed her elbow into his ribs and caused him to double over.

“I swear it’s like the tactful gene skipped you,” she hissed under breath.

Suddenly Jaden screamed and took off running, dropping the bag to the ground. When everyone looked at what scared him, they saw it… a TIGER! The others turned on their heels and ran for their lives. Atticus was not ashamed to admit it but he used his mile long legs to run faster. A tall column was in front of them and he started scurrying up it.

“Seriously? A coliseum and now a tiger? What’s next a freaking gladiator?!” he yelled in exasperation.

“I think she prefers the term Amazon,” Crowler said with his hands resting on his cheeks.

“AMAZON?!” Atticus screamed at him.

The others managed to climb the column and were all hanging on for dear life. Syrus managed to push the others out of the way and climb to the top and sat there. He looked down and saw them all glaring at him, wondering how the shortest of them managed such a feat.

“That’s right. And thanks to your friends I managed to finish my glorious arena!” A voice called out. All eyes in the arena went to the sound of the voice.

There stood a tall woman with dark skin and blue eyes with her red/purple hair. Two scar marks went over her right eye. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail and even then it went down to her waist. She was muscular and wore clothes that showed it off. Smirking at the newcomers, she crouched low and did a flip off the ledge to land in front of them. With her arm extended out, she called the tiger to her side.

“Arena for what?” Jaden asked.

When the tiger made its way over to her, she rubbed the head affectionately. “Dueling of course!”

While the Key Keepers shimmied their way down the column, the Amazon turned away from them and began handing out envelopes to the students and Crowler lined in front of her. Making comments about how they made such good laborers. It all seemed degrading to the group. Once the last one was given their envelope and left, she turned back to the group she was really there for.

“Hey! What is going on here?” Jaden yelled out with a fist raised.

“What does it look like, Key Keeper? I am setting the stage for this shadow game. I am one of the seven Shadow Riders,” she said evilly. Her eyes narrowed and a smirk crooked her lips.

“A Shadow Rider? Oh man…” Syrus said.

Chumley came up from behind him with his mouth wide open. “You mean oh wo-man. Amazons are a warrior tribe made up of all females!” he exclaimed.

Alexis blinked and nodded her head in awe. “Wow, you go girl!” Everyone looked at her and shook their heads. “What? I can’t be impressed while not liking her?” she demanded indignantly.

“The name is Tania. And now that I have the battle ground, who of you big strong men will I take on first?” Her eyes slid to Alexis. “After all, I could never hurt a sister.”

Alexis became angry and snapped back. “Hey don’t do me any favors!”

“So who is my man?” Tania challenged.

“Right here!” Jaden stated.

“Your’s truly,” Chazz spat out.

“I’ll take you,” Bastion spoke out.

Atticus and Syrus just stood back and let those three duke it out. Syrus was a little afraid, and he didn’t want to duel just yet. Atticus was not in the mood to duel. He figured, let one of the first years take the spotlight. He had the utmost confidence in them and felt he didn’t have to worry this time.

Tania looked at the three in front of her and to the ones who didn’t step up. She put a finger to her temple as she sized them up. She looked at each of them, carefully considering her options. Something about the one in the middle drew her. He wore a bright yellow jacket and he looked pristine. It made her want to rough him up.

“Well, if this is who I have to choose from… I choose you.” She pointed to Bastion.

Both Jaden and Chazz looked dejected as they made their way back. Alexis stood tall and stiff with her arms crossed over her chest. A clear pout on her face. She ‘hmphed’ and whipped around. They all made their way up to the stands and took their seats.

“What is your name?”

“Bastion. Bastion Misawa,” he replied coolly. 

Tania smiled at the name. She liked it. This was going to be fun.

“Go get her Bastion. Take her down!” Jaden cheered from the stands.

“Alright, let’s do this. Now the only question is-” He opened his yellow jacket to reveal his tactical vest with his decks attached. “Which deck to choose?”

Tania raised her eyebrows, it seemed as though she had more in common with this one than she thought. She pulled her two decks out and showed them to her challenger. “Really, I have the same problem. I have two decks. One is of knowledge, the other of courage. I will let you pick.”

Bastion looked at them and nodded his head. “Fine then, I choose the deck of knowledge.” She smiled and complimented his choice. “It won’t be as good as my choice. I select my earth deck.”

They each slid their decks into the disks and Tania seemed to change her demeanor. She put her hands clasped in front of her and bent over slightly. She looked like a school girl and the others swore they could see hearts around her head.

“And just so you are aware, this isn’t a shadow game. At least not in the usual sense,” she called to him.

“Beg your pardon?” Bastion spat out.

“You heard me. I don’t want your soul, I want you big guy!” she exclaimed. Bastion nearly fell over with the shock. “It’s like this, my tribe is all women. So to marry, I have to shop around.”

“To marry?!”

“That’s right big guy. So let’s duel.” Tania winked at him.

The duel was unexpected to say the least. Bastion made different mistakes and it was shocking as well as concerning to the other. Syrus kept looking at Tania, and a sudden thought crossed his mind. He leaned over to Jaden to whisper in his ear.

“Jay, remember the dream we had weeks ago. The one where Zane thought about who he had to duel? He mentioned an Amazon. Do you think she has any information about my brother?” Syrus whispered.

Jaden felt his eyes widen. Syrus was right, that first dream Zane had thought about a vampire, an amazon and a group who he thought were duel monsters. Jaden looked behind them to where Atticus was sitting and the Obelisk met their eyes. Atticus looked straight ahead again and narrowed his eyes.

“I should have stepped up,” he muttered. “Bastion, see what kind of information we can get out of her regarding the Shadow Riders!” Atticus called out.

Bastion turned around and looked at him. He nodded his head, but Atticus noticed his cheeks were colored. This wasn’t good. All of Tania’s flirting was getting to Bastion… This was not going to end well.

“Well before I make my move, what can you tell us about Hell Kaiser?” Bastion asked as he drew a card.

Tania raised her eyebrows. “You know Hell Kaiser… well where is he?”

Bastion shook his head and she looked over his shoulder to catch the eyes of Atticus. Atticus simply stared back impassively and became agitated. Tania decided to let it go, but would report that this group possibly had Hell Kaiser, or at the very least knew where he was.

“Well I know he has the talent to be the best. In fact I had hoped to get a claim to him, but Camula got there first.” She sighed. “Oh well, at least I get you my little sugar bugger.” She extended her pointer finger and drew a heart in the air. Blowing a kiss, she blew the imaginary heart in his direction.

Syrus felt like he was going to be sick. He had to listen to the past two Shadow Riders speak about his brother as if he were some kind of prize. They hurt him and now Syrus regretted not taking this duel on. He looked at Bastion and became worried they were about to lose another person as well as a key.

Bastion took a step back as if he were shocked. She was flirting with him earnestly and it was distracting him. He put both hands to his head and shook it back and forth. He needed to get his head clear to win this.

They were watching the duel and every person was becoming even more worried. Bastion was not dueling like himself. He kept making miscalculations and by the time he could do anything it was too late, he ordered his monsters to attack and they all saw the loss coming.

“You must be distracted, otherwise you most certainly would have seen my facedown!” Tania yelled. She revealed it and the group swore it was in slow motion what happened next.

All of Bastion’s monsters were forced to attack the Amazoness Tiger who had more attack points. They all stood up and were prepared to jump down. Before they could, Bastion staggered and fell to his knees, then on his face.

His key which was attached to his hip now lay on the ground beside him. They watched as it vanished into sparkles and the ground shook. Another key gone and another gate opened. They were failing.

“I am yours,” Bastion whispered.

“Bastion!” Jaden yelled as he ran toward his friend.

“Kitty!” Tania called.

The ferocious tiger stalked toward the group and chased them out of the arena. They all ran, screaming for their lives. Atticus grabbed Syrus and pulled him faster, as his shorter legs left him dragging. He didn’t want to have to explain to Zane why his brother became cat food.

Somehow everyone managed to get out without being mauled. Once Chumley was the last one out, the heavy metal spiked door slammed into the ground. Dust curled around from the force and Jaden ran to it. Hands gripped the bars and shook them.

“Give us back our friend!” he demanded.

“Sorry, Bastion and I are on our honeymoon now. So get lost!” Tania’s voice echoed around them.

Standing still with shock they all looked to one another. They shouldn’t have left him behind.

“This isn’t over!” Jaden yelled over the laughter of the Amazon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I meant to get this out sooner. I recently got hired at a clinic that is severely understaffed and I am working 11 hours a day. So unfortunately that doesn't leave much time for writing, but I wanted to get this done. Now while I like Tania's character, she wasn't my favorite Shadow Rider. I much preferred her during season 3. But there is a reason I Bastion loose here. I have someone else who I want to beat her. Any guesses? I am writing it now. Hope you all liked this chapter. Comments and prediction welcome.


	18. Power of Sisterhood

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: POWER OF SISTERHOOD

The sun started setting, casting the island in a fire glow. Everyone was still outside the coliseum, scattered around waiting for their chance to get back inside and rescue their friend. Atticus was able to start a fire and they all huddled around it when the sun finally went down, causing everything to go black.

All afternoon and now into the night, they could hear Bastion screaming out. In the beginning each of them worried he was being tortured. However as time went on they quickly realized those were not the sounds of someone being tortured… but someone losing every duel they were in. After a time, it became depressing to listen to.

Alexis was shivering slightly, the skirt and tank top not conducive to being outside at night with the wind and chill. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried rubbing said hands up and down her arms. Suddenly a large white jacket was placed on her shoulders. Glancing up she saw her brother standing over her, wrapping the jacket around her shivering frame.

“Atticus?” she asked.

“Can’t have you getting sick Lexi.” He clasped the top button shut and straightened to his full height. “I at least have a shirt underneath my jacket to keep me warm, you don’t.”

Alexis smiled and tugged the jacket tighter around her. Even with their sniping and griping at each other, they still looked after one another. She watched him as he walked around the fire to sit next to Syrus and Jaden. Both of the Slifers were huddled and whispering, once Atticus sat next to them she noticed they immediately began speaking with him too. She wondered if they were talking about those visions Syrus and Jaden both had.

Standing up, the long, flared back of the coat dusted the ground. She kept it tight around her and walked over to sit with them. They looked up and she just sat down on the other side of her brother. Meeting their eyes, she looked with determination.

“Jaden, you told me a little about these dreams. So what can I do to help?”

Syrus looked to Jaden in shock and the other Slifer laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. He looked at Syrus and tried to play nonchalance.

“Well, I wanted Alexis to know what was going on. She has been a friend to us and well she came to me saying she was worried about her brother. So I tried helping her understand and it accidentally came out about the visions,” Jaden tried to explain.

“What visions?” Chazz asked suddenly.

Quite frankly the others forgot he was sitting there. He was dressed in all black, his black hair and the fact that he was so silent, he just blended into the background. The two Obelisks and two Slifers looked at each other nervously.

Atticus sighed and knew they had to come clean to Chazz. It wasn’t fair to keep him in the dark, and according to Jaden, Chazz had the ability to see Duel Spirits… so there was a good chance he wouldn’t freak out and call them liars. Looking to Syrus and Jaden, they both nodded their heads.

“Chazz, what I am about to tell you can’t go any further. So before I tell you everything, you need to give me your word you won’t let it get around.”

“Yeah, I swear.” Like normal Chazz’s voice was solemn. His charcoal eyes never wavered from the person he considered a big brother.

“Good, now this relates to Zane. During his time in the shadows he was tortured and brainwashed into becoming Hell Kaiser. During that time apparently he was forced to duel the Shadow Riders and Camula as well as Tania were two of them. Anyway Zane has a Duel Spirit, that is Cyber End Dragon. The card was connected to him, even though the physical card was not with him. Because of that connection Syrus and Jaden saw visions of what Zane endured. It’s why I was the one who demanded to beat Camula. She was one of the main ones who put my best friend through hell. So when we heard Tania is an Amazon, it made us wonder if she could give us any information regarding what happened in the shadows,” Atticus explained.

Chazz sat silently through it all. He stared at them unblinkingly and they worried he was on information overload. Finally he took a breath and closed his eyes. He opened them again and looked at Jaden. The two of them seemed to share a look before Chazz looked back to Atticus.

“I know about Duel Spirits and if you guys are telling me Zane has one then I have no reason to not believe it.” Pulling out his deck, he laid them all on the ground. It was all the cards he got from the well to use in the duel against his brother. “All of these cards contain duel spirits. That’s why I can’t seem to get rid of them.”

Atticus raised his eyebrows and a small laugh came out before he could stop it. “So you are just a big softie huh? Awww, Chazz dude that is so cute. Girls love a guy with a sensitive heart.” Atticus couldn’t seem to stop himself from teasing him.

Chazz jerked back so hard and fast he fell onto his back. Jerking back up, he grabbed all the cards around him and stuffed them into his jacket pocket. Glaring daggers at the oldest duelist there, he wanted to reach out and smack him. Alexis seemed to read his mind and her hand snapped out to hit her brother upside the head.

“LEX? What was that for?” he demanded.

“Don’t poke fun at Chazz. We all need to get this out of the way. Tania is the second one to ask what we know about Hell Kaiser… and asking about where he is. I think the others are wanting to take him back,” Alexis pointed out.

They all turned somber at the reminder. Syrus turned his head to look back toward the school, or more specifically the infirmary. His eyes went wide and he looked ready to leap up and run to keep his brother safe. For a moment, Alexis felt bad for putting that out there. They were a distance from the school, it would take a while to make their way back, so there was nothing they could do.

“Syrus, Chancellor Sheppard has guards around now. Nothing will happen to your brother again. As long as he listens and doesn’t go wandering off alone again, then the Shadow Riders won’t have a chance,” Atticus said quietly.

“But he is so stubborn. Zane doesn’t listen and he does what he wants and thinks is best. I have seen it, even without his memories he still will not listen when they tell him not to do something,” Syrus said quickly.

Atticus laughed and remembered that morning seeing said friend on the shore of the beach. The infirmary really had a crappy patient. Zane never listened well when it came to someone telling him what to do. Syrus was right, he had a stubborn streak a mile wide and was not afraid to flex it.

“That may be Sy, but we won’t let it come to that.” He looked around the dark. The only light came from the crescent moon and the fire. “Do you think I will risk the life of my best friend? The life of the person who understands me better than anyone else?” His eyes landed on all of the younger duelists he took under his wing this year.

Syrus sucked in a breath and shook his head. He thought back to what his brother had asked him. Looking at Atticus, he carefully considered how to phrase his next question.

“Atticus… how close were you and my brother?” Syrus asked quietly. Everyone looked at him expectantly. After his choice of words they were all curious, including his sister.

Atticus felt heat creep up his neck and thanked the heavens that he wore a turtleneck and his hair was long enough to cover it up. But he wondered if it showed on his face as well. He slid his hands under his legs so he wouldn’t fidget with them and give anything away. Turning his gaze toward the moonlit night, he took a breath.

“Zane is one of my best friends. During Middle School and our first year on top for High School, he and I were inseparable. I made sure of it, hounding him until he wore down and he became my friend. When he agreed, I didn’t let him take it back. I felt comfortable with him, more comfortable than I had felt with anyone in a long time. I felt like we balanced one another out. He was the yin, the serious and studious one, he leveled me out. I was the yang, the one that loved to have fun. I made him enjoy life.” He paused for a moment. Finally he looked at the rest and smiled. “When you find someone like that, someone who no matter how crazy or insane you act they still are your friend… it holds a special place in your heart. That friendship bond is what kept me going, knowing I would find him again and would make sure nothing like this happened again.”

Alexis looked shocked at her brother. He spoke so impassioned and with such emotion on his face. She knew when she first arrived at Duel Academy that there was something special between him and Zane. However hearing him talking now… there was something else going on. Something that he wasn’t willing to talk about yet, but she would get it out of him in time.

Syrus smiled at Atticus. He noticed a slight change in Zane when he introduced Atticus as his friend. At times it seemed as if he would act more his age, not the overly mature age he always did. Their parents had commented on it and even told him they were happy to see him smile occasionally. Even going so far as to thank Atticus himself and his parents as well.

“I’m glad my brother has a friend like you Atticus. I really am,” Syrus said finally.

Atticus gave a smile right back and moved his hands from under his legs to rest his elbows on his legs and rest in his chin on his palms. He looked at the faces of his new friends and back at the coliseum where the other member was still screaming with each duel lost. They would get him back and keep one another safe.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Morning came along and with the sun rising, they all looked toward the large structure. Alexis stoked the fire with the small tree limb and when another scream rang out, she sighed. Moving her head she looked over to the structure and grit her teeth.

“I hate hearing Bastion suffer like that and not being able to do anything,” she said. Concern was evident in her voice.

“No joke! They have been dueling all night. And from the sounds of it, Bastion has been losing all night,” Chazz snapped annoyed.

None of them slept, so there were going on an easy 24 hours of no sleep. It made all of them punchy. Atticus was laying on his back, knees bent upward and his hands behind his head. He stared at the early morning sky and narrowed his eyes in annoyance.

“By my count he has lost about 47 times now. That is some losing streak,” he muttered.

The others went silent and looked at him. When and why did he start keeping count? Before anyone could question him about this they heard the large metal blockade opening. Everyone jumped to attention and looked toward the sound. On their feet they saw Bastion walking out. He looked like a deadman walking. His jacket was open to reveal the vest with his decks attached. His face was flushed and his usually immaculate hair was tousled up. His eyes were strangely blank as he walked stiffly to where the rest of them were.

He stumbled and they all took off the distance to him. Jaden reached him first and caught the Ra Yellow’s shoulders as he fell to his knees and nearly went backwards. Surrounding their friend the others looked at the face of a man who was crushed. Jaden shook his shoulders and called his name.

“What happened?” Syrus asked.

Bastion just stared at them unblinkingly and not responding. It was starting to become a concerning sight. They didn’t know what to look for as far as injuries. The only other Shadow Game losses they had to go on, were Crowler and Zane. Crowler had his soul sealed in a doll. And Zane… well not sure if that counted. The dark entity that was controlling him was sealed away. But Bastion looked relatively unharmed. Finally Jaden gasped.

“Wait… did she dump you?” Jaden’s crash question seemed to snap Bastion out of his stupor.

“That’s right. I am… I’m crushed,” he whispered

“You’re not crushed. You are lucky idiot,” Chazz snapped out.

“I don’t understand, she was so smitten with you,” Atticus said from behind the rest.

“I know,” Bastion sighed dreamily as he looked up at the sky. “We were to be married.”

Everyone sucked in a collective breath. Chazz made a gagging sound in the back of his throat, and truth be told none of them could find any reason to scold him for it. It was a sickening sight to see this usual unflappable duelist in this state. Bastion grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before opening them to continue.

“But she decided I wasn’t duelist enough for her. Telling me that since I lost so many times, I was not worthy of her nor of her affections. This last duel she beat me and... and finally she turned her beautiful back to me and walked away telling me to get out.” He took a breath. “I wasn’t good enough for her and she left me forever. She says she wants a champion, someone to challenge her in a way I couldn’t.”

His eyes slid shut, and he went limp from exhaustion. Looking at him sadly, Atticus walked up and grabbed one of his arms. He looked to Jaden and the both of them hauled the unconscious teen to his feet. They started making their way back to the academy and to see if Bastion needed medical treatment.

Chancellor Sheppard as well Dr. Crowler were standing there waiting for them. Sheppard felt the Earth move and knew another gate had opened. When he saw Jaden and Atticus helping a limp Bastion Misawa, he figured quickly who the one that lost was. He shook his head sadly and motioned for them to follow him to the infirmary.

Winding through the hallways, they reached the door and opened it. Nurse Fontaine was just finishing recording Zane’s vitals for the morning when they walked in. Both looked up and she gasped. Zane simply raised an eyebrow at the sight. That didn’t look good.

Gesturing to the bed they were in front of Nurse Fontaine said, “Put him there.”

Doing as they were told, once Bastion was settled in the bed, everyone turned to Sheppard and explained the situation. Through it all the adults all remained silent letting Jaden tell the story. They would look at the others for confirmation and when they received it, looked back to Jaden to continue. 

Dr. Crowler just couldn’t believe what happened. Bastion was the first year who scored higher than all of the others. He should have been above all this, but his eyes slid to where Zane was sitting on the edge of his bed. Eyes staring blankly ahead. Zane was top duelist of the SCHOOL when he vanished… so it would seem that it doesn’t matter how good you are. There could always be someone better or someone who has dirty tricks up their sleeves.

“So, another key was lost and another gate opened. Things are starting to become dire now.” He looked at them. “Be on guard… but for today, try and nap a little bit. I heard from the dorm heads that all of you never returned back last night.” Sheppard gave them all a look that was the equivalent of being scolded by your favorite uncle.

They all stiffened and looked to one another. None were able to speak, what could they say. They didn’t go back to the dorms last night and they walked out of class to go find the owner of that bag… Yeah this was not a normal school year.

Sheppard turned and walked out with Crowler hot on his heels. Once both adults were gone the teens all shared a long suffering look and sigh. It felt like the weight was starting to crush them and none liked the feeling at all.

“Well, you head Sheppard. Let’s all head back to our dorms and take a nap. We all are exhausted and punchy… not a good combination,” Atticus said.

Alexis stood up and slipped the jacket off, she handed it back to her brother with a smile. “Thanks for the jacket bro. With the sun out now I won’t need it.”

Atticus smiled and nodded his head. Syrus grabbed a chair and pulled it over to his brother’s bedside and sat down. Placing his head on his brother’s legs, the younger Truesdale promptly fell asleep with his head like that and wrapping his arms around Zane’s waist. The older Truesdale looked down at Syrus with confusion. This wasn’t a dorm room, and that could not be comfortable. Atticus laughed and pulled out a camera, snapping a photo. He waved it around and made a face at Zane.

“Trust me, I will need this when you get your memories back. This will be gold for blackmail on you,” he said with a snicker. “Well, I actually want to sleep in bed for a change, so I think I am going to head to my dorm room for a bit. See ya later.” Waving goodbye he exited the infirmary.

The others did the same and soon it was Zane left in the room with two sleeping duelists. Sighing he looked down at Syrus, his grip was tight so even though Zane wanted to get up he couldn’t. Hesitantly he raised a hand and ran it through Sy’s light blue hair. This caused the younger to borrow closer.

“Rest up for now Syrus. Since you watched over me while I rested, I suppose I can do the same for you,” Zane whispered quietly, stroking the younger’s hair.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The next day came around Bastion seemed to be worse. He wandered around aimlessly and stared into space. This is where Jaden and Alexis found him. The top floor of the dueling building had a wrap around window that allowed a person to view the ocean. Bastion was leaning on the ledge, his flushed face resting in his hands.

Flashes of Tania came to his mind and he cried out her name gripping his head. Alexis and Jaden were behind him when this happened. They both shared a look and cringed slightly when they heard Tania’s name being called.

“Woah, is he still wigging out of that girl?” Jaden asked.

“It looks like it. I haven’t seen Bastion act this way before. Nor did I have any idea that he had fallen for her that hard,” Alexis responded with sympathy. Jaden just nodded his head in agreement.

“I have an idea,” he announced as he turned around and sprinted down the wrap around hallway. 

Alexis just raised an eyebrow at him and shook her head. It was no wonder Jaden and her brother got along. They were way too similar, always acting on an impulse. Not telling anyone else what their grand scheme is, and when it fails everyone is left scratching their heads. But if it would be able to snap Bastion out of his funk then she was willing to go with whatever scheme he concocts.

While Jaden was making his own plans, Alexis had one of her own forming. It was clear that Tania used her flirting to help her win the duel. So clearly the men in the group needed to realize that in order to fight a woman, you needed a woman.

Echoing dings brought Alexis out of her own strategizing. She reached into her pocket and pulled her little Duel Link and saw a group message. Glancing up she realized Bastion was not paying attention and she turned around and made her way to where the message said to meet. She walked in and saw Jaden speaking with her brother.

“I really think this will work. We duel him to cheer him up and knock some sense back into him.” Jaden held up his deck and smiled manically.

Atticus took a step back and laughed. “Well, that face of yours Jaden could knock anyone for a loop man.”

“So that was your big plan? Bring Bastion here for a duel?” Alexis asked, drawing their attention.

Just then, Chazz, Syrus and Chumley walked in. They all had knowing looks and their gazes zeroed in on Jaden for explanation.

“You bet you guys. We will cheer him up and prove to him that he doesn’t need her to duel.” Jaden was so fired up that the others were shocked to not see the floor catch fire around him.

Alexis sighed and shook her head. She really didn’t think that is what it would take. Tania needed to be taken down, and yes it mattered that Bastion was back to normal, but even more important was that the world stayed safe. This would be a two birds one stone situation. She looked at all the men and wondered why she was friends with them half the time.

“You guys deal with this. I am going to try another approach.” She turned and started walking out. A hand caught her elbow and she stopped to look over her shoulder. Atticus was gripping her arm tightly.

“Where do you think you are going sis?”

“Look, clearly she uses her wiles to duel and distract her opponents. But being a girl, and being straight, that won’t bother me. You guys try to cheer up Bastion, I am going to take her on and win.” Alexis sounded the very pinnacle of confidence.

“No way! You can’t duel her!” Atticus protested on instinct. Alexis, even though she was a strong woman, was still his younger sister.

“Remember how you said you had to duel Camula for your friend? Well I am saying that now too. Bastion is a friend and I want to help. I can duel her and beat her.”

“You can?” Bastion asked.

Everyone froze for a moment. Of course he would choose that moment to walk back in. His face was slack with shock at what he heard Alexis proclaim. She was willing to duel for him. His gaze lingered on Alexis.

“You bet I can Bastion. I am going to duel her and win for you. That’s what friends do!” She raised her hand and clenched her fist in affirmation.

A twitch of a smile crossed Bastion’s face and he nodded his head.

That night they all made their way to the coliseum once more. Alexis walked at the front of the group. Atticus had the sinking feeling that this was karma biting him in the ass for the duel with Camula. His sister was using his argument against him, just as she would do when they were kids. It was annoying having a smart, independent younger sibling.

Reaching the monument Alexis took a breath and marched in with her shoulders squared and her head held high. Tania stood in the middle of the arena stroking the head of the giant tiger. Her eyes slid to Alexis and widened upon seeing the duel disk attached to her arm.

“I told you hunny, I can’t harm a sister. Even if you are a Key Keeper, I can’t break that code,” Tania said.

Alexis stopped and clicked open her duel disk. “Well then I guess it will be a short duel if you won’t fight back. I will fight to protect my friends.”

Tania narrowed her eyes and grinned. This girl had spunk, even if she couldn’t take her back to marry her… well they were always looking for new additions to their tribe. Her strong spirit would be right at home with her and her sisters.

“Fine, but since I can’t marry you, if you lose here you have to come back with me to my tribe. We are always looking for more strong women to help conquer the world. And hunny, you will fit right in!” Tania exclaimed.

Taking a step back in shock, Alexis looked at her wide eyed. “Wait, if I lose you want me to go back with you?”

“Exactly. Just think about it, surrounded by strong women, no men thinking they can tell us what to do. It will be amazing.” Tania moved away from her tiger and entered the dueling arena.

“How about no. I won’t be losing here. So let’s go!” Alexis exclaimed.

“Game on!” both women shouted.

The group watching made their way to the stands and watched. Atticus kept an eye on his sister, worried. He didn’t want to lose her and it sounds as if Tania will be taking her away if it came to that. Shaking his head to clear the thoughts he focused on the duel in front of him.

“I like to lead hunny.” Tania drew her card and smiled. “I summon Amazoness Swordswoman in attack mode. Then I play one card face down and end my turn. You’re up.”

The large Amazonian stood proud with the giant sword and Alexis felt slightly intimidated. But she knew how to play the game and at least, there would not be any flirting here. She looked at her cards before drawing another.

“My move.” She smiled when she saw the card she drew. “I summon Cyber Tutu in attack mode!” The ballerina monster with pink hair whirled around and struck a pose.

“Sweetie, we need to get you some better cards. We aren’t playing dollies here,” Tania said with a tinge of disappointment in her tone.

“Well this ‘dolly’ is about to play havoc with your lifepoints. If your monster is stronger, then I can have her attack you directly.” Alexis noticed that Tania didn’t appear phased by the news. Her eyes widened remembering Bastion’s duel. “I play the spell Alegro Twelve! This little thing gives my ballerina a little more kick. It allows her to destroy one magic or trap card on the field.”

The blade appeared on the shoes of Alexis’s monster and Cyber Tutu gave a quick spin, shooting the blade out to destroy Tania’s facedown card. Tania staggered back in shock. Alexis smirked and made a slashing motion with her arm.

“Now go Cyber Tutu. Take the lead in this dance and this duel!” The monster did as ordered and with a spinning kick to Tania’s face, Alexis took the lead with Tania losing 1000 lifepoints. “I place one card face down and end my turn.”

Tania rose up and grinned broadly. “Oh yeah hun. You will fit right at home with all the other sisters. That kind of spark will take you far. So for your sake, I have to beat you. Now Amazoness Swordswoman, attack Cyber Tutu!”

“Sorry, but I don’t think so. Go Doble Passe!” The facedown flipped up and Cyber Tutu nimbly doged the attack and the sword sliced through Alexis. “Now that I took the attack, you have to take another shot from Tutu!”

“Wait what?!”

Cyber Tutu launched once again at Tania, another spinning kick to the face. Both women were kneeling on the ground. Alexis was shocked at how much it hurt to have that holographic sword cut through her. She gritted her teeth and stood up tall again.

“So is this what a Shadow Games feels like?” she muttered under breath.

Tania stood up as well and wiped a hand across her jaw. There was obvious delight in her eyes. This was going to be a very entertaining duel and a very revealing one at that.

“You go Alexis! Man are you kicking butt!” Jaden cheered. Alexis sighed and shook her head slightly. But it made her feel warm to know they were cheering for her.

“It’s a long duel Jaden. Please don’t jinx my sister,” Atticus said stone faced.

“Sorry, I was just saying.” Jaden hunched his shoulders but continued to watch the duel. At present Alexis had 2500 lifepoints and Tania had 2000. So far she was leading and Bastion wasn’t as flushed.

Alexis and Tania continued their duel, and sparks flew, but they were sparks of two duelists who had passion for the game rather than love. Their love was for dueling and dueling alone. Tania ordered her monster to attack once more and Alexis grit her teeth. Both of them were down to their last 1000 lifepoints.

This duel was not predictable and she was starting to worry a bit. But looking over at the stands and saw her friends and brother there for her, she was prepared to go all out. The last round, Alexis managed to get rid of Amazoness Swordswoman, it cost her lifepoints but she was gone. Sucking in a breath she drew another card.

“Before we continue sweetie, I feel I should just warn you. We will need to get you some jungle attire for when we leave. I mean you look cute with that skirt, but it will not work for the Amazon.” Tania placed a finger to her chin. “Well we can focus on that after I win here.”

“Sorry, but you won’t be winning. I play the spell card Pot of Greed, this allows me to draw two more cards.” Alexis looked at her cards and smiled. “First I summon Etoile Cyber to the field. Next I activate the spell card the Warrior Returning Alive. This brings back Blade Skater to my hand. Finally I activate the magic of Polymerization, fusing Etoile Cyber and my Blade Skater together to form Cyber Blader!”

Her favorite monster appeared on the field and Atticus leaned back in his seat, finally relaxing. His sister was going to pull this one out. He wouldn’t have to try and explain to their parents why she was suddenly living in the Amazon. Her Cyber Blader was going to end this.

Tania took a step back in shock. She didn’t expect this to happen, and the girl was going to win. She had no facedown out, no monster with a special effect… nothing except her Amazoness Blowpiper and the Cyber Blader standing tall.

“Now attack Cyber Blader! Let’s show that you don’t mess with Duel Academy! Attack with Skate Blade Slash!”

Cyber Blader did just and continued from the monster in front of her to Tania directly. The blade on the bottom of her foot sliced through Tania, forcing the Amazon to her knees in defeat. The sun was starting to rise as Tania’s lifpoints hit zero.

Everyone jumped down and ran to Alexis to congratulate her. Atticus pulled his sister into a bear hug and picking her up, swung her around. She threw her head back and laughed, feeling like when they were kids. Setting her down, he ruffled her hair and caused her to pout. The others also gave her a hug and a high fives.

Tania watched it, seeing how she managed to pull this around, it was how Tania wanted to be. This girl managed to have the confidence and reason to duel, something that was lacking for the Amazon. Bastion looked over and gasped, drawing the attention of the rest.

In the new morning light, Tania’s form started to fade, well at least her human form. She transformed into a white tiger, crouched on all fours. She met Bastion’s eyes and looked away sadly. Turning her form around, she looked once more at Alexis.

“Farewell sister. I hope to meet you again someday and have another chance to convince you to come with me.” Her voice echoed around them, even though the tiger’s mouth never moved.

The other large tiger bounded after Tania and both creatures left the arena. All sets of eyes were wide with shock, not expecting that in the least. Finally Chazz was the one to break the silence. He placed a firm hand on Bastion’s shoulder and squeezed.

“Boy Bastion, you sure know how to pick em,” he laughed.

“Don’t worry buddy, there are plenty of fish in the sea,” Jaden said trying to cheer him up.

Bastion smiled and shook his head. “This is true, but thankfully not too many tigers. Thank goodness.”

They all looked at one another and laughed. They had another Shadow Rider down. Three were defeated and only four remained. One step closer each time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I actually had today off so I just spent it writing the next chapter. I wanted some girl power here, Alexis was a missed opportunity for me in the show. So here she gets to shine and show the boys that she is just as good, if not better than them. I hope this came across like I wanted it to. Tania couldn't exactly flirt with Alexis, it wouldn't work, so he had to try distracting her by telling her that she would be going back to the Amazon should she lose. But think about it... would Alexis really lose? Hope you all enjoyed it and would love to hear what you think.


	19. Trouble in Paradise

CHAPTER NINETEEN: TROUBLE IN PARADISE

Zane Truesdale woke up with a splitting headache. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to will the pain in his head away. After a few moments he realized it wasn’t helping, and actually was making it worse. Letting out a breath, he opened his teal eyes and looked at the tiled ceiling of the infirmary.

Pushing himself up, he let the white sheet fall to his waist. Placing his aching head on the palm of his hand, he put pressure to his forehead. For the past couple of days the pain in his head was intensifying, and he couldn’t seem to beat it. Trying to hide it was extremely hard, with so many people interested in his health and recovery.

“Morning sleepyhead!” a cheerful voice announced.

Raising his head, he looked at the person who managed to sneak up on him. The tight black pants and white jacket with the flared back gave away who it was. Looking at the face, he saw shining, cheerful chocolate brown eyes.

Zane just stared for a moment, and apparently it was long enough to cause concern to flash in those eyes. A hand settled on his shoulder and gripped tightly. Raising his teal eyes, Zane looked at the face of his ‘best friend’.

“You alright Zane? You look like you're in pain,” Atticus said quietly. Releasing Zane’s shoulder, Atticus grabbed the chair and moved it to the bedside, so they were on the same eye level. “If you’re in any kind of pain or feeling unwell, you need to let someone know.” The tone of his voice made it clear, there would be no argument.

“I am fine.” Zane turned his head, not wanting to look Atticus in the eyes. A hand gripped his chin and forced him to meet those chocolate eyes.

“You really need to stop trying to hide when you are in pain or don’t feel well. We can’t help you if you don’t talk to us. Stop shouldering everything, lean on me. Let me help you,” Atticus said earnestly. 

They were face to face and Zane felt heat creeping up his neck and cheeks. Atticus seemed to realize how they looked and dropped his hand. They both looked at each other and were silent for a moment. They were not paying attention, and were surprised to see Nurse Fontaine walk over, with a small smile.

“Good morning Zane. How are you feeling?” she asked quietly.

“Fine. Thank-”

“He was holding his head when I came in. I don’t think this is the first time either,” Atticus interrupted with a hard look at his best friend.

Nurse Fontaine looked to Zane in concern. With his missing memories, it wouldn’t be surprising for him to have headaches, especially if he were trying to force himself to remember. She looked at the teen closely and noticed that his eyes did have flickers of pain in them.

“Zane, if you are having pain, we can get you some medicine to help with it.” She kept her gaze leveled on him. Finally Zane sighed and nodded his head. “Good, I will get you some headache medication to try and take the edge off.”

She turned around and walked to the locked cabinet where the medication for the school was kept. While she was going through it, the teens looked at one another. Zane narrowed his eyes in a glare and Atticus smirked.

“Don’t get mad at me. You need to let us help you.” His eyes sparkled with mischief. “And being your best friend, the responsibility of making sure you do that falls to me.”

Shaking his head, Zane couldn’t help but smile back. Nurse Fontaine came back with the medication and a glass of water. Handing both to him, she stood with her hands on her hips watching as Zane took the medicine. He took the pills and a large drink of water.

Nurse Fontaine took the glass with a smile and left them to go make a note in his chart of the medication. Once she left, Atticus leaned back in the chair laughing. The teal haired teen stared impassively at his supposed best friend and wondered how they managed to stay that way. But the face smiling back at him, had Zane smiling as well.

“So, you want to get out for a couple hours?” Atticus asked.

“Don’t you have class?”

Atticus smirked. “Well you see, thanks to my best friend making me take extra classes our first year I have extra free periods this year.”

Zane cocked his head to the side, causing his teal bangs to fall into his eyes. He brushed them aside and raised an eyebrow at Atticus.

Sighing, the brunette stood up and grabbed the jacket hanging beside the bed. Sheppard ordered the style of Zane’s jacket, but it was taking a little longer than they thought. That was because they had to get new measurements due to the weight he lost over the last couple of years. Holding it out, he waited for Zane to stand up.

Zane took the jacket and stood up, slipping it over his black shirt, closing it up the two Obelisks walked out of the infirmary. Zane was lost in thought while Atticus kept a grip on his arm, leading him through the halls and out the door into the fresh air.

“How about the lighthouse?”

Before Zane could respond, they both heard a strange screeching sound. It was so high pitched it caused both to cover their ears and cringe in pain. The sound only served to amplify how horrible his head was pounding. Squeezing his eyes shut, he prayed he would not get sick right then. When the sound stopped, they both looked to one another and Atticus grabbed his arm, pulling him in the direction of said horrific sound.

They reached the dock and saw a multitude of students standing there and in the water was a submarine. The sound continued at a lower volume and Atticus pulled Zane to the back of the crowd. He glanced around and spotted his younger brother, Syrus. Syrus was standing next to someone and they shared a look.

“Avast ye landlubbers! I be The Admiral,” the rotund man standing uptop the submarine shouted into the microphone. The distance he was made away from them made it difficult to determine any features, other than his form.

It was clear that the speaker and microphone were too close, there was massive feedback. The sound seemed to ricochet inside his mind, it felt as if his mind started bleeding. Cupping his hands over his ears, Zane looked to Atticus, ready to beg for help.

“Who is he? Like a pirate or something?” Jaden’s voice yelled.

Looking up, Zane noticed that Jaden stood with a different group, away from Syrus. It was strange, Syrus spoke how he and Jaden were friends… yet they stood a good distance apart. It made the older Truesdale wonder if something happened.

“Ye scallywags never laid your ears on the tales of The Admiral? Scourge of the Seven Seas?” the annoying voice yelled into the microphone.

“This guy does know you don’t have to yell into a microphone right?” Zane snapped under his breath when the ringing in his ears and head stopped.

Atticus looked to Zane with a shocked expression, then laughed. “Man you made a sarcastic comment. We are making progress if you managed to do that again.”

“I set sail to challenge one of ye to a duel.” More feedback from the microphone and speakers.

Zane finally could not take it. His vision was getting hazy and his head felt as if it would explode. Pride be damned, he needed to leave before he collapsed. His shoulders started to slump and his knees buckled. It appeared that it was too late.

“Atticus,” Zane muttered and felt his body pitch forward.

Atticus noticed and cursed under his breath. He grabbed Zane by the arms and pulled him near his own body, to both shield him as well as keep him from face planting. The last thing Zane noticed before he gave into the blessed darkness was the fact that this felt familiar, as if Atticus had done this before for him.

Atticus looked at the unconscious form of his friend. He knew Zane had a headache but for it to get so bad he collapsed… something was very wrong.

“-Jaden Yuki!” 

Atticus heard Jaden’s name and snapped his head up. Narrowing his eyes, he noticed Jaden taking a step forward to board the submarine. Chazz, Alexis and Bastion were with him. Surprisingly Syrus was not. Looking around he saw Syrus standing next to Chumley, refusing to even look at Jaden. Something happened and Atticus was going to figure out what.

Zane’s head lolled on his shoulder and he looked down. Luckily they were toward the back, so no one saw when Zane went down, but now he had to drag him back to the infirmary. Movement caught out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Snapping his head up, Atticus saw Dr. Crowler standing there looking concerned.

“What happened?” he questioned.

“Long story short, Zane had a headache and I had hoped some fresh air would help. Didn’t plan on seeing an idiot with a microphone out here. It must have gotten too bad, and he completely blacked out. Could you help me get him to the infirmary again?”

Dr. Crowler nodded his head sagely. This arrogant and eccentric teacher always had a soft spot for Zane. So it really should not have surprised Atticus that Crowler would be the first one to offer help with this. Both of them pulled an arm around their shoulders and hauled the unconscious teen up. Crowler looked at Atticus and nodded his head, indicating they should make their way to the infirmary quickly.

With the commotion on the dock, it was fairly easy to get Zane back without being spotted. Most of the student body was there wondering about the submarine and who the person was. Once they made their way inside, Nurse Fontaine looked up and she gasped.

“What happened to him? This is a strange feeling of deja vu,” she said quickly.

Moving over to the bed Zane had been occupying for the last couple of weeks, Atticus and Crowler laid him down. Atticus didn’t even try to get the jacket off. Instead all he did was remove the shoes and pulled the sheet over Zane’s sleeping form. He turned to Nurse Fontaine just as she walked over and attached a pulse oximeter to Zane’s right index finger.

“I think the headache became too much. He ended up collapsing and passing out. Could a headache really cause that?” Atticus was concerned.

“Well, I have seen people who suffer from severe migraines pass out from the pain. I didn’t think it was in the migraine territory. That was obviously my mistake and I know a special medication combination that can help. I will get him hooked up to an IV with it.” She looked down and took the pulse oximeter off his finger. “Oxygen is 96%... but his pulse is high at 104. That isn’t good.”

She made her way to her desk and pulled out Zane’s file to note the vitals she just took. She also noted the medication she was about to give him. Atticus looked at her and then back to Zane. Dr. Crowler looked at the two teens and sighed. He nodded his head to Atticus and then went to tell Nurse Fontaine that he would alert Chancellor Sheppard to what happened.

Atticus glanced back at them and, without thinking, reached out gripping Zane’s hand. Nurse Fontaine walked over with the IV line and attached it to the pole by the bed. Taking out Zane’s right arm, she pulled up his sleeve to rub an alcohol pad on his skin. Once the area was prepped, she inserted the needle and taped it down. Once that was done, she unclipped the drip and allowed the medication to flow down the line.

“There, that should help with the pain and hopefully he will wake up in no pain. Or at the very least less pain.” She smiled at Atticus. “If he wakes and needs something else, let me know. I am going to run and get some food, do you need anything?”

“No, thank you Nurse Fontaine.” Atticus kept his voice polite, but his eyes barely strayed from Zane.

She smiled and brushed the long bang aside, she nodded her head. Taking her white jacket off, she walked to her desk and draped it over the chair. Looking back at the two members of the ‘Twin Jewels of Duel Academy’, she shook her head fondly. They were always close and it made her wonder if they themselves knew how close they became.

Left alone with his thoughts, Atticus looked at Zane resting. His face was pinched in pain, but no other outward signs of pain. It made him wish for a way to go back in time. A way to have a do over, to be able to change certain events. A way to better protect his friends, especially the one who suffered so much, and continued with his missing memories.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The sun was starting to set over the water. The lighthouse turned on and the rotating light began to illuminate the quickly setting in darkness. Their first month at Duel Academy had flown by with no time to breathe. Atticus sat on the beach with his back leaning against his surfboard. He had decided to do an evening surf instead of his usual morning one.

“Should have realized you would be out here,” Zane’s voice came from his left.

Looking in that direction Atticus saw the teal haired duelist coming up and sitting beside him. The three of them had not had time to really hang out together. And Yusuke decided he was going to spend the night with his books, it would take an army to tear him away from them. But Zane sought Atticus out so he would have a familiar face without the hassle of fans.

“Got a problem with me being out here?” Atticus joked. “I finished my homework, took my notes for the upcoming test and I played nice with the other kids today. I feel like I earned this.”

The side of Zane’s mouth quirked up in a half smile. He looked at Atticus and shook his head in fond exasperation. “You are such a handful. Remind me again why we are friends?”

Smiling, Atticus threw an arm around Zane’s shoulders bringing him into a side hug. “Because my undeniable charm wore you down. I am more than worth what you consider ‘exasperation’.” He looked at Zane with a large, manic grin. “You know you love me.”

Zane stiffened, if Attucs had not had his arm around his shoulders he wouldn't have noticed. But a split second later, Zane acted as if nothing was wrong. He smirked at Atticus and reaching up he patted the face of the brunette duelist. The movement caused Atticus to freeze for a moment.

“You keep telling yourself that Bucky. I came out here to make sure you were doing alright after the hellish month, but clearly you are.” Zane stood up and smirked down at him. “I am heading back, I promised Yusuke I would go over some old books with him. Feel free to join us if you should so desire.” Zane started to walk away, but stopped just a few feet away. “That’s not the only reason I love you, you idiot.” 

He spoke so quietly, Atticus almost thought he imagined it. But there was no way he would imagine words like that. Eyes widening, he stared at Zane’s retreating form with his mouth gaping open. The world felt like it tilted for a moment and left him reeling. Part of him wanted to jump up and demand an answer, but the other part of him wanted to pretend he didn’t hear that. While Atticus identified as bisexual, he wasn’t sure what his friends were. Clearly there needed to be a discussion.

Atticus smiled and started to formulate a plan on what and how he would do. He would get the truth out of Zane, and it would be the most enjoyable and devious plan he could think of. Rubbing his hands together in glee and formulating what he would do to start uncovering the mystery of Zane.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus opened his eyes with a slight smile. That was the start of everything to form between them, and the only thing he regretted was the fact that he let Zane out of his sight that one time. Had he listened to his instincts, and hovered around him, then maybe there wouldn’t have been this whole disappearing act. 

The door to the infirmary opened and in walked Chancellor Sheppard and Dr. Crowler. They both looked at Atticus sitting there with his hand holding Zane’s. He knew what kind of sight this looked like, but he couldn’t bring himself to move said hand.

Sheppard smiled and shook his head. He knew Truesdale for years, that included things that not anyone else was privy to. Sheppard just pretended to be absentminded, it allowed him to see and hear things that the students would prefer to have him not know. They underestimate the ‘old man’, and it was his advantage. Truesdale was one of them for a time, so he saw how the two of them interacted. He had eyes and a brain, it was easy to put the pieces together.

“You are fine Rhodes. I may be old, but I have working eyes. Being your age once I know what romance looks like when I see it,” Sheppard said quietly.

Dr. Crowler choked and looked between them. Atticus met his eyes defiantly, Crowler held a lot of respect for Zane and he would make sure that didn’t change. Especially while he recovered his memories and after.

“You won’t pass judgement here Dr. Crowler. I mean, are you in any real position to judge?” Sheppard asked coldly. This caused the teacher to clamp his lips shut and avert his eyes.

“How long have you known?” Atticus asked.

Sheppard stood next to him and looked at Zane sleeping. The medication Nurse Fontaine had put into the IV seemed to be helping. Zane’s face was not pinched in pain and he was breathing easily. Looking between the two of them, he shook his head with the smile of an indulgent father figure.

“Like I mentioned to you before Truesdale and I have a history, so I watched how he acted with you. The both of you were close, he allowed you near him when he kept everyone else at arm's length. Even Fujiwara, who was one of his ‘close’ friends, was not allowed as close as you were. I simply put the pieces together and when I saw you hug him one time, and all he did was stand there, it confirmed it for me.” He smiled at Atticus. “Now, I don’t think I need to tell you what will happen should you hurt him.” The smile turned dark and menacing.

A sweatdrop rolled down Atticus’s face and he laughed nervously. Sheppard was no longer the ‘laid back school Chancellor’ he was the hard duelist and protective guardian. Looking at Zane, he was glad that Sheppard was protective of him. It made his mind rest a bit easier, and allowed him to look Chancellor Sheppard in the eyes.

“To be fair sir, Zane would obliterate me if I did anything to hurt him. He has never been one to idly sit by and let someone else protect him,” Atticus responded.

“And that is why you two work. You understand his mind, when not people have managed such a feat,” Sheppard said with a laugh.

“I have a request. Do you mind sitting here with him? I want to go speak with Syrus, I saw something that concerned me and want to make sure he is alright.”

Sheppard waved his hand and nodded his head. Atticus took his promise to Zane seriously, keeping an eye on Syrus and keeping him safe. It did Sheppard’s heart good to see how far they had come. He only hoped that Truesdale would one day feel comfortable enough to speak to Sheppard about this.

Atticus stood up and with a quick squeeze on Zane’s hand he left the infirmary and went to find Syrus to find out exactly what happened. And why he didn’t go with Jaden.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus found Syrus sitting in the Slifer Dormitory mess hall. He was sitting there alone and looking down at his deck. The room was pretty much empty, the few Slifers in the room looked at Atticus with wide eyes. Even now, they couldn’t fathom how the ‘King’ of Duel Academy would just show up.

Atticus walked up to the table where Syrus was sitting and sat on the other side from him. The bench creaked and Atticus cringed, his original fear coming back in spades. The creaking caught Sy’s attention and he jerked his head up. Eyes went wide for a moment and then realized that it was only Atticus.

“Hey you, what’s going on?” Atticus cut straight to the point.

“What do you mean?” Syrus raised his eyebrows in confusion.

“What happened with you and Jaden? When I saw you both today, you were standing with Chumley and then you didn’t even go with Jaden. Something happened, Syrus talk to me.”

Syrus flushed red in anger at the mention of Jaden’s name. It was a strange reaction and it gave away that something did happen… something bad. He waited for a minute, thinking Syrus would respond. However he continued to avoid looking at Atticus. Little did Syrus know, Atticus was VERY good at getting information he wanted.

“Syrus, you need to talk to me.” His voice held a note of compulsion, he used that tone when he really wanted to get information. Zane and Yusuke would dread when that tone came out. “If something happened, I need to know so I can help you.”

“Jaden is a big, idiotic jerk!” Syrus blurted out.

Eyes widening, that was the last thing Atticus expected to hear. Syrus stood up and slammed his palms on the table in front of him. Eyes were wide and an angry red tint was on his face. This was not a normal reaction.

“How is a jerk?” Atticus asked in a calm, quiet voice.

“He traded my mattress for a card!! Can you believe it? I have nowhere to sleep!” Syrus turned around in a circle before facing Atticus again. “Who does that? Where am I supposed to sleep now?”

Atticus remained motionless and silent. His brain couldn’t comprehend that Jaden traded Sy’s mattress. Why would he do that? There was more to this story, and he needed all the information. He motioned with his hand for Syrus to sit, and waited until he complied before continuing.

“Why did he do that Sy?”

“He said it was for my birthday! My birthday has already come and gone. With all these Shadow Riders, I didn’t celebrate it.” Syrus slumped his shoulders in slight defeat.

The pieces started to click together. Jaden was not a malicious person, absent minded yes… but malicious, not in the slightest. Odds were Jaden had good intentions but went about it all wrong. But how to explain it without sounding as if he were taking Jaden’s side.

“Syrus, you know no friendship is easy right?” Syrus looked at him confused. “Friends will fight, there will be big fights and small ones. However, you always stand beside one another. A perfect example I will give you is Zane and me. We had a pretty big fight early on in our friendship. With our polar opposite personalities, it was inevitable. But after we both calmed down, we spoke and managed to resolve it. We are still going strong. I am not saying Jaden was right, he was absolutely in the wrong, but he may have had good intentions. That old saying ‘the path to Hell is paved with good intentions’ is very true.”

Syrus sat quietly and looked at Atticus. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is that Jaden probably was trying to make up for us not celebrating your birthday, which we will be making up. But he probably wanted to do something special, to let you know that even with everything going on, he was thinking about you.” Atticus kept his tone neutral. “We should have made time to celebrate your birthday, and this might have been Jaden’s way of making up for it. Just think about it, Sy.” Atticus stood up and ruffled his hair before turning to leave the room. He hoped Syrus would consider his words very carefully, and everyone else would need to make time to celebrate a birthday.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Seven days passed since Alexis, Bastion and Chazz returned without Jaden. Syrus had been inconsolable. He carried the guilt that the last thing he said to Jaden was in anger. Nothing anyone did could cheer him up. He would sit out by the lighthouse, hoping that Jaden would come back.

Zane even snuck out of the infirmary to check on his brother. Atticus nearly had a heart attack when he went to visit him and saw he was gone. Rushing out of the room, he was about to have Sheppard mobilize the island security team when he spotted them. He found the brothers sitting under a large tree talking and Syrus seemed to be opening up to Zane. The older Truesdale looked at Syrus in concern and patted his shoulder awkwardly. Syrus then turned and cried on Zane’s shoulder, causing the older brother to have momentary panic flash across his face. Atticus decided to leave them be. Some things needed a brother to make it better.

Today Syrus was once again sitting at the lighthouse. His shoulders were hunched and a few stray tears were leaking down his face. Chumley and Alexis were standing off to the side looking at him sadly. Neither knew what to do, and everyone had tried comforting him.

“He’s still waiting. It’s been a whole week since Jaden left,” Chumley said sadly.

Alexis looked at him with sympathy and started walking toward him. “Syrus, I know it’s tough, but the Admiral said Jaden wanted to stay. I guess for the money, and it was a lot of money.” She kneeled next to him.

Suddenly they heard a strange sound in the distance. It sounded like a boat engine, one that was on its last legs. There was also the sound of someone yelling, all three sets of eyes looked out over the ocean.

“Syrus!!” Jaden’s voice carried over the water.

Syrus jumped to his feet as did Alexis. They all looked with disbelief at the approaching figure of a speedboat and Jaden at the wheel. There was a thick cloud of black smoke behind the boat that was more than a little concerning. But Jaden didn’t seem to be paying it any mind.

“Ahoy! I escaped Sy. He trapped me, but I broke out of there for you!” Jaden yelled and waved his arm around. Suddenly the engine gave out and a small fire started at the back of the boat. “Uh, in one piece I hope. This doesn’t look good.” The boat was at a standstill.

“Jaden! Hold on I will save you!” Syrus without thinking jumped into the water. Alexis and Chumley watched the touching scene, Syrus was doggy paddling toward the boat with tears streaking down his cheeks. “Jaden, I’m sorry. I want you to be my shipmate!” He reached the boat and looked up at Jaden.

“Really? That’s good to hear, because that weird Admiral guy, couldn’t understand a thing he said.” Jaden laughed as he used the fire extinguisher to put out the small flames. 

Syrus got a good look at his friend and noticed he was filthy, covered in scratches and bruises as well as dirt and dust. He smelled like smoke, and some of the extinguishing foam was stuck in his hair. But that bright eyed look was all Syrus wanted to see.

“So we cool?” Syrus asked, treading water.

“Of course Sy. But I have to know, where did you learn to swim? That form needs work,” Jaden joked.

Syrus panicked for a moment, realizing he did something very stupid. Suddenly, he began floundering. “I never learned how to swim!” Syrus screamed as he started to go under.

Alexis and Chumley looked shocked, eyes wide. Before either of them could do anything, an echoing loud splash was heard. They turned their eyes toward the sound, but no one was there. Jaden was holding a paddle over the edge, yelling for Syrus to grab it. Suddenly the brunette Slifer was pulled under the water.

Seconds later both broke through the surface, with two others there as well. Zane and Atticus were there supporting the two Slifers. Atticus had a grip on Jaden, while Zane had Syrus. The two Obelisks began making their way to the shore with their baggage.

Alexis and Chumley ran to the shore where they met the four now soaking duelists. Zane and Atticus set Jaden and Syrus on the ground and Syrus shivered. Jaden looked at Syrus with wide eyes as something clicked.

“You really never learned to swim? But you jumped in the water for me?” Jaden asked.

“I told you, I want you to be my shipmate. I’m sorry we had that fight, but I don’t want to lose a good friendship.” Syrus looked at him with wide eyes, as Zane wrapped the white jacket around his shoulders. Syrus smiled at his big brother in thanks. “But you have to help me get a new bed!”

Jaden laughed and rubbed his head. He looked around at the group of friends standing here. He smiled at Syrus and gave a thumbs up. “You got it, but absolutely not a water bed.” Everyone groaned at the bad joke. “What?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So wow... this took a turn I was not planning on. But in a strange way I am glad it did. This ship just makes sense especially in my AU. Now for this, I always wondered who talked with Syrus after Jaden left to do the duel. So I wanted that in there, and watching the episode, I wondered if Jaden was trying to be a good friend here. He isn't the malicious type, just an airhead. So that was my take on how this went. I hope you all enjoyed it. Can't wait to hear what you all think. Predictions and thoughts welcome.


	20. Secret Revealed

CHAPTER TWENTY: SECRET REVEALED

Another day passed and still no sign of a Shadow Rider, rather than feeling at ease about it, the entire group was edge. They worried this was the calm before the storm, there were still four more Shadow Riders left and five keys to protect. Each passing day it felt as if the weight was getting worse.

Atticus sat in his last class of the day, with his face resting on his palms. It was a class that he was taking without anyone else. Alexis was not interested in this and the people he would have been in here with were no longer enrolled. Yusuke’s vanishing was still as big of a mystery as it was day one. Atticus still couldn’t ask Zane, but the temptation was there, just to see if there would be any kind of trigger. As for Zane, Sheppard had not allowed him to re-enroll yet. He wanted Zane to spend his time recovering.

Professor Danlos droned on in his monotone voice about the legalities of professional dueling. Atticus figured he would need to know this information because he had no one lined for a manager… yet. He wanted to have inside knowledge so no one could screw him over. The class was composed of upperclassmen who wanted to go pro, so pretty much all Obelisks.

“Any questions on section 29, article 11?” Professor Danlos asked. He ran a hand over his black goatee and his coal colored eyes scanned the room. His black hair was cut military style and his skin showed his long years under a hot sun on the battlefield.

His question was met with crickets. You learned real quick in this class that if you wanted to get out on time, you never asked a question. If you had one, you asked your classmates or emailed the professor. But never ask a question out loud, it would only lead to being stuck there for longer than necessary.

“Good, if there are no questions then class is dismissed. Read section 29 articles 12-15 by Monday students. Have a good weekend.” The professor turned off the projector and all the students stood up to make their way out.

“Man, Atticus, thank goodness it’s Friday. I don’t think my brain can take another class like this,” a voice said to his right.

Atticus stood from his chair and looked at who was speaking to him. It was another third year Obelisk who was bound and determined to dethrone Atticus. The brunette looked at the boy and fought to roll his eyes. The guy was arrogant and couldn’t back it up, the worst kind of combination. He stood shorter than Atticus, with bleach blonde hair and green eyes. A strange combination, but hey genetics were funny things.

“I know, but we still have to read the sections. So better get started Collins.” Atticus turned around, and threw a confident smirk over his shoulder. “I mean unless you want to be known as my shadow for the rest of your life.” With that parting shot, he walked out of the classroom and left a sputtering Obelisk behind.

It was almost time for dinner and Atticus wanted to run to his dorm before he went to have dinner with the group. He briskly walked through the hallways and out the door. Raising his head, he noticed the sun started to turn the sky a fire red and it seemed to take the tension in his shoulders away. He briefly wondered if this was why Zane constantly rose his face to the sky whenever he walked outside. Letting the sun’s rays take away all the stress.

Sucking in a breath, he jogged to his dorm and made his way inside. Once reaching his room, Atticus put down his textbooks and notebooks on the bedside table. On the table under the lamp was a picture taken from the first year of High School. Atticus stood on the left, Yusuke in the middle and Zane on the right. Yusuke had come clean to them about his issues with being forgotten and asked for a photograph.

Atticus reached down and picked it up. He ran his fingers over Yusuke’s face before settling on Zane’s. Holding them there, he thought back to that day, as he sank on the edge of his bed.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

“I wonder what the big surprise Yusuke has is,” Atticus wondered aloud. He was leaning against a pillar in front of the school.

School had let out early and everyone was taking an easy day. They were the only two in front of the school right now. Yusuke had said he wanted to show something to them, and asked them to wait there. So here Atticus and Zane stood, leaning against the pillars in front of the school.

Zane looked up from his book, and raised an eyebrow. “If I knew, why would I tell you? He said it was special, so let’s let him tell us.” Zane went back to reading the book.

Mischief glinted in Atticus’s brown eyes and he inched closer and reached around Zane from the back, yanked the book out of his hands. Zane’s head whipped up and he lunged for the book, clear murder in his eyes. Atticus laughed and looked at the title: ‘How to Repair Relationships’. The title caused Atticus to raise his eyebrows at Zane and looked at him in question.

“Something you want to tell me?” Atticus asked. 

Zane yanked back his arm, and clenched his fist as if he would slug Atticus. Putting the book in front of his face for defense, he looked at Zane closely. A light flush was on his cheeks and he ripped the book from Atticus’s hands. Pulling it close, he turned his attention forward again and proceeded to ignore Atticus as best he could.

“Zane, seriously if you need to talk about something you can. I know I crack jokes and try to lighten everything up, but I seriously am here if you need someone to talk to,” Atticus tried to make his voice as level as possible.

Zane looked at him out of the corner of his eyes. Sighing, he pulled the book up and looked at the cover before raising his eyes back up. He turned his head and opened his mouth to talk, but the sound of footsteps rushing toward them had his mouth snapped shut and his eyes shuttered again.

They both turned their heads to see Yusuke running up with something cradled against his chest. His face was flushed from his sprinting over and mild embarrassment. He slowed to a walk and stood in front of the other two. His violet eyes were downcast and his head bowed. Slowly he revealed what was in his arms and they saw a hightec digital camera.

“What’s with the camera Yusuke?” Atticus asked with his hands on his hips and eyebrows raised.

Zane remained silent, but he leaned closer in interest. Yusuke looked at both of them and pursed his lips as if he was thinking on what to say. Finally he looked over his left shoulder and somehow that seemed to convince him to speak. He looked them dead in the eyes and squared his shoulders.

“I want to get a picture of all three of us. I also want to share something, but I don’t want it getting around. Truth be told… it’s kind of embarrassing.” Yusuke once again averted his eyes for a moment.

“Yusuke.” Zane waited until the green haired duelist met his eyes. “We are friends, so whatever you tell us in confidence will remain that way.” Zane looked at Atticus out of the corner of his eyes.

“That’s right! The three of us have solidarity and confidence. We never betray that trust,” Atticus added in.

Yusuke’s eyes lit up and he smiled. “Well… I have this fear of being forgotten. My parents died when I was young and I had no one to take me in. My family had money and that was all they saw, not me as a person. I have always felt as if I am invisible.” His gaze slid to Atticus. “When you put an arm around me and declared we were friends… that was the first time that happened.” His gaze went to Zane next. “Then when those teens were giving me such a hard time, you stepped in without a thought. Both those experiences reminded me that not everyone forgets I exist.”

Atticus grinned and grabbed his arm, he pulled Yusuke in the middle between Zane and himself. “Well what are you waiting for? Let’s get a good picture. You just have to promise that we all get a copy.”

Yusuke grinned widely and nodded his head. Holding the camera out, he angled it to get the best shot. Zane looked slightly at the other two, Yusuke stared ahead and Atticus had his eyes on Zane. Yusuke snapped the picture and turned it around to look at it. They saw it and all smiled at how it turned out. Yusuke once again pulled the camera close to his chest and smiled so wide it shocked his friends. His eyes glittered with pleasure and he was practically vibrating with excitement.

“Thank you both. You are the only ones I can truly call my friends.” Yusuke for that moment looked like a young, carefree teen. It was the first and last time.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus was brought back to the present by someone knocking on his door. He jerked his head up and shook it, to clear the memory from his mind. It was a better time, but he needed to put it aside and focus on what was happening here and now. He had one friend who needed time to recover and another who was still missing.

The knocking intensified and Atticus stood up, putting the photograph back in its original spot. Walking to the door, he pulled it open, probably more aggressively than necessary. On the other side stood his sister. She looked at him with wide gold eyes and a worried frown on her face.

“Everything alright Alexis?” he asked. Stepping aside, he let her in. Technically, they were not supposed to be in opposite gender dorm rooms, but this was his sister.

“Yeah, just coming to see if you were still coming to dinner. You haven’t shown up yet.” She looked him up and down carefully, as trying to see what he wasn’t telling her.

Glancing out the window suddenly, Atticus noticed that more time had passed than he thought. The memory had pulled him deeper than he thought, as he didn’t notice that so much time had passed. Eyes wide, he looked back to his sister and laughed slightly nervously. He rubbed the back of his head and looked at her.

“Yeah, I’m coming. Is everyone already there?”

“Yeah, Syrus, Jaden, Chazz, Chumley and Bastion are already in the Card Cafe. I told them to start ordering and I would come find you.” Her too wise eyes narrowed as she looked at her brother. She truly knew how to read him. “You need to stop shouldering all this guilt, Atticus.”

At times like this, Atticus wished his sister was not so smart or observant. Given how close they are, it makes sense that they could read one another like open books, but when he wanted to wallow, he couldn't thanks to her. When he didn’t respond, she continued.

“What happened to your friends was not your fault. You could never in a million years have predicted that Yusuke would vanish and then Zane would follow after. Nor could you have predicted what Zane would have gone through. So stop blaming yourself, you are actually taking the blame away from the person or people it truly lies with.” Alexis was becoming angry with her brother. He was a brilliant person, but for this he couldn’t seem to understand. She placed her hands on her hips and narrowed those golden eyes.

“Lex, I’m not-”

“Yes you ARE! I see it in your eyes. It was why you dueled Camula, why you stood vigil over Zane until he woke up. And why you insist on questioning all the Shadow Riders about what they know. You need to let it go. Let the blame fall on the shoulders of the ones responsible. I hate seeing you like this. Why do you torture yourself? Do you feel as if you deserve it?” she demanded angrily.

Atticus knew bait when he saw it, however his sister knew what buttons to push. His eyes narrowed to match hers and he could feel his ire building. Sucking in a breath, he tried to clear his head and not get angry.

“Alexis, I know you feel strongly about this… but you are barking up the wrong tree. Stop being a child and trying to bait me into arguing with you. I don’t have the energy today.” Turning around, he took his jacket off and slung it over the couch.

“Yeah, because you’re the mature one!” she snapped back.

Atticus snapped his spine straight and whirled around to glare at his sister. “Watch yourself. I am still your older brother. You will not use that tone with me.”

“Then be the older brother and fess up. Why do you do this to yourself? Why punish yourself? What could you have done to change anything? Think about it Atticus, what if you were to go missing next? Why do you-”

“You want to know why? Because I love him! I let him down once and I promised myself once he was found I would never let anything like that happen again. I swore that I would never leave his side again.”

The confession hung in the air between them and the siblings stared at each other. Atticus felt the blood leave his face as he looked at his younger sister. The truth he kept hidden, was now out between them and he wasn’t sure how she would react. But clearly his sister was full of surprises today, as all she did was smile slightly and move to hug him. Atticus let his arms hang limply at his sides and he stared straight ahead somewhere between panic and confusion.

With her head resting on his shoulder, she hugged him tight. His heart was beating so loud, it could be heard in the silence of the room. Finally she pulled back and placed her hands on his cheeks and forced him to look at her.

“I knew there was something more between you and Zane. I’m sorry to start the fight, but you needed to get it out. Don’t carry that guilt big bro. It’s not good for you and it really does take away responsibility for those that SHOULD bear it.” Her smile was serene again and they stared at one another.

“You… you really don’t care Lex?” Atticus whispered.

“Not at all. Zane was, is, good for you. After you became friends, you seemed to take things a little more seriously. You focused more and really showed your potential. Mom and dad were ecstatic and thought you finally found a true friend. Little did anyone know there would be more to it.” Alexis let her hands drop, but stood still staring at her older brother. “Let the emotions out, let me shoulder some of the burden you have been carrying.”

As if a switch was flipped, Atticus crumbled. Tears started running down his cheeks and a sob broke free from his lips. All the uncertainty, pain and fear from the last two years broke free like a dam busting. He sank to his knees and let it all out, with his sister wrapping her arms around him. She smiled sadly and rubbed his back as he cried.

Alexis knew this was a long time coming, and it needed to happen. That was why she told the guys that he probably would not be coming and to eat without them, they would reschedule. She had been bound and determined to get him to let it all out today. To let him be the one taken care of, instead of taking care of everyone else. While his sobs quieted down, the tears still trekked down his cheeks. He closed his eyes and leaned his tired head on his sister’s strong shoulders. Alexis smiled and gripped her brother tighter, she would be the strong one for a time. Let him feel safe and comforted.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The next morning, Atticus woke up feeling better than he had in awhile, minus the headache. He hated crying, it always left him feeling drained and wishing he had more control over his emotions. However Alexis was right, he needed to get that out. Sitting outside on his balcony, he stretched his arms over his head and took a deep breath. For the first time, he didn’t feel the crushing weight on his chest.

The sun was just starting to rise, he slept longer than he had in awhile, but he was still up at the crack of dawn. Everything came out between the two of them last night. Alexis knew what buttons to push to get a reaction and she did just that. Looking back now, Atticus cursed his stupidity, thinking he could hide something from her. The younger was tenacious and like a dog with a bone when she needed to be.

The wind moved his hair slightly and he tilted his face toward it. It felt refreshing and badly needed. While he was stuck in his musing, the little duel link vibrated and chimed on the round, glass table. Looking down, he picked it up and opened it. There was a message from Chancellor Sheppard to all the remaining Key Keepers.

Students,

I need you to report to my office tomorrow by 9AM. With two spirit keys gone, I feel the need to call in the police to help find a way to protect them. They will still be in your care, but I am asking for professional opinions. Detective Don Zaloog will be meeting with us and he will give his professional advice. I expect you all to be on time. Thank you and have a good morning.

Chancellor Sheppard, Head of Duel Academy

Atticus read the message and shook his head in exasperation. This was getting out of hand, they were all on edge because no Shadow Riders have made an appearance in a couple of weeks. Zane was no closer to remembering anything and actually had given himself migraines trying to force himself to remember. Nurse Fontaine had started to give him migraine medication and when it got so bad, he was given a light dose of pain medication.

Nothing Atticus, Syrus or even Sheppard said would help. He felt responsible and he was willing to risk his health to remember. Thinking about it, Atticus realized this is why they were friends and he fell in love. They were polar opposites on so many things, but both were willing to shoulder the burdens alone and not allow them to hurt others.

Looking at the time, he realized it was just after 6 in the morning. He figured he would go and see how Zane was doing before meeting with Sheppard, to give him an update on Zane. Standing up, he stretched and walked back into his dorm room to grab his jacket and pulled it on. Running a careless hand through his hair, he walked out and made his way to the infirmary.

Atticus walked in the room and saw Zane sitting up in the bed, with his head leaning against the wall behind him. His eyes were closed and Atticus was pleased to see the dark rings around his eyes were starting to fade. If they could get him to stop trying to force the memories, he might recover quicker. He walked up quietly and sat down in the chair next to him.

Zane opened his eyes slightly and looked at Atticus sitting next to him. Their eyes met and Atticus grinned widely, but then frowned. Those teal eyes looked exhausted and it made him worry. Reaching out on instinct, he placed his hand on Zane’s forehead. It was slightly warm, as if he were running a low grade temperature.

“You not feeling well?” Atticus asked, concerned.

Zane shook his head and closed his eyes again. “Just a headache.” His voice was quiet.

“Zane, look at me.” Atticus waited until their eyes met. “Are you still trying to force it? You need to stop, that is probably doing more damage than good.”

“I have this feeling in the back of my mind that I need to tell you all something important. The feeling won’t leave, that’s why I am trying to force it,” Zane tried to explain. He looked at Atticus with pleading eyes. “I need to get out of here. Apparently they are cracking down on security and I am not allowed without someone.”

Atticus grinned. “Yep, you are a runway and need to be watched. Don’t worry, I know how to get you out without being seen. I learned all the little routes our first year. It was how I managed to track you down so many times when you tried avoiding me.”

Zane widened his eyes and looked shocked. “Why was I avoiding you?”

Freezing in his seat for a moment, Atticus tried to think of how to explain it. Originally, Zane had tried to avoid Atticus when he thought Atticus was playing with him. Then when they were together, Zane would try to avoid him for some alone time. It never worked, Atticus was always too curious for his own good, he found tunnels that no students should know about.

“Well, you always were a solitary person. And I am a people person, so I was constantly dragging you places and you would try to hide. But since I know all the escape routes, I was able to find you and drag you back.” Atticus laughed and helped Zane stand up. “How’s the head? Feel like you can be outside without blacking out on me?”

“As long as we don’t run into an idiot, who doesn’t understand how a microphone works,” Zane muttered under his breath with a scowl. The look was so similar to his old look that it made Atticus happy.

“Well then, let’s go. As long as you have someone with you, Sheppard really doesn’t care where you go. He just doesn’t want to make a mistake and have you go missing again.”

As Zane pulled on the jacket, the two of them walked out of the room. It was still early and Atticus would be meeting with Sheppard later. Before they made it too far, Dr. Crowler came up to them and looked at both of them closely. Crowler’s eyes looked closely at Atticus and then settled on Zane.

“Atticus, Chancellor Sheppard would like to speak with you now. He has a meeting coming up and needs to speak with you earlier. I will stay with Zane until you get back.”

Atticus looked closely at Crowler. He was with Sheppard when they both realized that there was more to the friendship between Atticus and Zane than anyone thought. He really didn’t want to leave Zane with Crowler, just in case the teacher said something that caused more problems than they already had. However there was no malicious gleam in his eyes. There was somber respect, and Atticus hoped that the respect and soft spot he had for Zane would come into play here.

Clapping Zane on the shoulder he smiled. “I will be right back. You and Dr. Crowler got along fine. You were always his favorite student.” He walked toward Crowler, as he passed he looked Crowler in the eyes and whispered to him. “You better not do anything that causes a problem. I won’t hesitate to tell Sheppard if you do. Zane is already putting his health at risk by trying to force his memories, so don’t add to it.” With the warning spoken, Atticus walked off.

Zane was left with Dr. Crowler, and he looked at him with a slightly worried frown. Both teacher and student stared at one another, neither one wanting to make the first move. It became uncomfortable, and finally Dr. Crowler spoke.

“I would like a few moments of your time, if you will listen.” Crowler motioned for Zane to follow him and the Obelisk did just that. 

They walked side by side down the hallway and came to a cafe. Dr. Crowler ordered them both tea and they sat at a small round table toward the back, near the window. Zane looked down at the tea and he sat stiff. Atticus might have assured him that he knew this teacher, but the fact of the matter is there has been very little contact since he woke up in the infirmary.

“First off I want to apologize for not visiting you sooner.” Zane raised his gaze to Crowler. “You had your brother and friends around you, I truly did not want to overwhelm you. But Atticus is right, you and I got along quite well. Before your disappearance you were the top student of the school. It made me proud, in class you would always assist me, and when the school needed CPR and BLS certified people, you stepped forward. You not only were the first student to become certified, you also aided me in running the class a couple times a year.”

Crowler kept his gaze steady on Zane. This teenager was mature beyond his years, he never spoke back to Crowler and was always respectful. That won Crowler over and he fact that he was brilliant on top of it, well if Crowler could have asked for a child, it would have been Zane Truesdale. 

“You always showed respect, your school work was impeccable and don’t even get me started on your dueling… You were what I imagined my child would be if I had one. I am known as a harsh teacher, a brutal one at times. But that is because I believe in all of the students here. Even those in the Slifer Dorm. You never cracked under that pressure, you rose to the challenge and exceeded every expectation. I had never been more proud of a student before you, in all my years of teaching.”

Crowler picked up the cup and took a sip of tea. Zane looked slightly uncomfortable with the praise, as if he didn’t feel he deserved it. He looked down at the cup of tea held between his hands on the table. Raising it, he took a sip and found he liked it. It made him wonder if he liked this tea before.

“What do you mean ‘even those in the Slifer Dorm’?” Zane questioned.

“Well it is no secret that I have problems with certain members of the Slifer Dorm. However, I do actually believe in them. My preference are those in the Obelisk Dorm, as they seem to take things seriously when it comes to their schooling and dueling. But I believe in all the students the same. I have recently had to eat my words about them all being worthless and I will try to change and move forward. But you I always thought you would be the one who would take the Dueling World by storm.”

“Was I that good?” Zane questioned. He felt the warmth coming from Cyber End Dragon in his pocket. The monster did not communicate in words, more along the line of emotions. And the emotion it gave off at the moment was affirmation.

“Oh yes, you were our best. I had never seen scores like yours, I suppose I thought I could live vicariously through you.” Crowler rubbed his neck nervously. “But my life is closer to the end than yours is, I wish I could have done some things differently, but such is life. So I push my students to be the best they can and find satisfaction when I see it accomplished.” He smiled slightly. “I want to let you know that no matter what, whether you get your memories back or not, you have exceeded anything I may have set for you. I feel proud of you, and I know I am not the only one. Do not force yourself, things will fall into place and answers will be found. Take care of yourself Zane, and know that even if I do not visit, you have an ally in me.”

Zane found himself smiling, even though he couldn’t remember, Crowler like everyone else made him feel… not better but close to it. Even with the pounding in his head, he felt at ease. Crowler was admitting some of his faults and somehow made Zane relax. For the next little bit, they both sat there in companionable silence. Occasionally speaking of inconsequential things, just passing the time until Atticus showed up again.

All in all, Zane felt content for a little bit. No pressure to remember, Crowler was telling him to not even worry about it. He can see how the two of them got along, and hoped to build on that in the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had planned on having the Dark Scorpions in this one... but it didn't flow that way. But I like how this went instead. Crowler is a complex character, not as one dimensional as he appeared in season 1. So I played with that, and played on the teacher/student relationship Zane had with Crowler. I will touch on the one with Sheppard soon, but I wanted this out there. So what do you think of Alexis baiting her brother into a fight to get him to open up? Hope you all enjoyed it. Thoughts and predictions always welcome.


	21. Thieves in the Night

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE: THIEVES IN THE NIGHT

Syrus Truesdale stood behind his older brother, as Zane stared out the window before him. He knew he was supposed to be heading to the meeting Chancellor Sheppard was having for the remaining Key Keepers, but he just couldn’t bring himself to go. The last couple of weeks were hard on his older brother, who was trying to forcefully remember what happened. Right now, Zane stood ramrod straight, his arms crossed over his chest and not paying attention to anything else, or so Syrus thought.

“Syrus.” His name was spoken with the same emphasis Zane used to give. He turned his head to look at the younger Truesdale. “I know you have somewhere to be. Don’t worry about me, go take care of what needs to be done. I am not going anywhere.” He turned his head back to the window and kept staring out into the distance.

“Hey what’s up Syrus?” Syrus turned his head and saw his friends as well as someone he didn’t recognize came walking up. “How is your bro Zane doing?” Jaden finished the question.

Atticus went and stood next to Zane, placing a hand on his arm which caused Zane to look at him. Alexis stood slightly off to the side, observing the two of them. She brushed her blonde hair aside and watched how Atticus hovered, and wondered how any of them could have missed the way they were together. She smiled, thinking how she was now privy to the ‘elephant in the room’.

“Well at least he is out of the hospital bed Jay. But he still can’t remember what happened, and with him trying to force it, it’s causing migraines and who knows what other stress is being put on his body,” Syrus answered sadly looking at the two Obelisks talking. He then glanced at Jaden standing next to him. “Anyway, I’m sorry I missed the meeting. Is there a problem?”

“Well, actually Syrus, Chancellor Sheppard wanted us to get a professional opinion on how to protect the keys,” Alexis responded.

Syrus finally turned his attention to the other person standing there. He was a man who was dressed in a fancy detective outfit. The brown cap matched his brown suit, and he had a white puffy shirt underneath. His silver hair touched his shirt collar and he wore a strange patch over his right eye. He lifted his cap in salute.

“Good afternoon young man. I’m Detective Zaloog.” The sun glinted off his strange gold patch.

“Okay…” Syrus trailed off, there was something that creeped him out about the patch. It made him think of the Shadow Charm around Jaden’s neck.

“I am here to help you all protect those keys. It seems as though these ‘Shadow Riders’ are quite the problem. Now I have to ask, where are all you kids keeping your keys?” Detective Zaloog asked. He glanced at the five Key Keepers.

“I have mine around my neck,” Jaden said holding it up.

Chazz looked down to where his key was resting on his chest. “Same here.”

“I also keep mine around my neck,” Alexis responded. She nudged her brother.

“Mine is attached to my belt and rests in my pocket,” Atticus responded.

Syrus unbuttoned his jacket to show his key was around his neck as well. “I have been keeping it here.”

“Oh my, see that is exactly what I was afraid of. For you see, you may think that is where it’s safest, but in all honesty, it isn’t. All the Shadow Riders have to do is find you and they have found the keys. So I am recommending you all put your keys someplace safe so they can’t find them.” He looked at all of them. Then his gaze lingered on Zane’s back. “But I have to ask, who is this? Do we need to worry about him?”

Atticus shifted and put his body between Detective Zaloog and Zane. His gaze hard and unwavering as he stared down the Detective. “No, Zane is my best friend and Syrus’s older brother. He isn’t someone to worry about.” Zane sighed and turned to leave. Atticus snapped his hand out and gripped Zane’s hand tightly. “You need to go back to the infirmary anyway. I can tell the migraine is coming back.” With that, Atticus dragged Zane away and left the other four students with Detective Zaloog.

“Oh my, I didn’t mean to upset him.” The Detective watched as both white coat Obelisks made their way back to the infirmary.

“Please don’t take it personally Detective,” Alexis tried to reason. He looked at her. “Zane has been through literal hell and is having a difficult time recovering. Both he and my brother, Atticus, have been very close. So he just feels overly protective, it isn’t something to take personally.” Alexis gave a smile in the hopes of smoothing that awkward situation over.

“I see, I am truly sorry. What happened to him?” Zaloog asked. He raised an eyebrow in thought. The back of the teen looked familiar and the glimpse of his face was enough to have him wondering if that boy was who he thought.

“We aren’t at liberty to say,” Syrus bit out. 

He didn’t like the interest in his brother. Something didn’t sit right, there were still four Shadow Riders left, and they had yet to come across the group Zane dueled against. So until the Shadow Riders were defeated, and his brother had his memories back, no one outside of their group was ever going to know what happened to him.

“I see, well I suppose I can just speak with the Chancellor anyway. Now on to what I am here for. We are going to find places to hide your keys. When we get you four taken care of, we will go find the fifth one and have him do the same.”

The four students nodded their heads and followed the Detective to do just what he advised.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus continued to drag Zane beside him. He had a tight grip on Zane’s right hand, keeping him close. Zane looked confused at his friend, he had been hovering the past couple of days, even more than usual. His teal eyes slid to Atticus’s profile and really looked at him.

“Did something happen? You really should have stayed with the Detective. He had every right to question about me.” Zane looked away ashamed. “With what you all have said, I was one of those Shadow Riders after the keys. So technically I-”

“You were never a threat Zane, at least not in that sense.” Atticus stopped walking and interrupted that train of thought. He leveled Zane with a look, a look the old Zane would have smirked at. “You are NOT a power hungry person. You would never have gone willingly, and if you are going to listen to that, then hear this… I am 1000% sure you were abducted and taken there by force. You never would have gone willingly.”

Atticus backed Zane against the wall, he was so livid at the assumption. Zane felt his eyes widen at the move. It brought upon a strange feeling in his chest, as if this happened before… He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his hand to his head. The aching came back in force, he felt dizzy and weak. Two things he was starting to hate feeling.

Warm, gentle fingers grasped his hand and pulled it away. Zane looked up at Atticus and saw the raw concern etched on his face. Sucking in a breath, he tried to breathe, telling himself that oxygen replaces pain.

“Let’s get you back to the infirmary. Whatever comes, know that you were innocent in this whole thing. I have known you long enough to know that world domination is not your thing.” Atticus cracked a smile, hoping to lighten the mood. “I mean you were such a straight laced and by the book duelist, that I don’t think you would even know how to manage world domination.” Backing up, he grabbed Zane by the hand again and pulled him the rest of the way to the infirmary.

“Rhodes, what are you doing? I thought you were with the rest of the group and detective,” Chancellor Sheppard said. He walked up to them and noticed the way Atticus had a grip on Zane.

“Zane was starting to get a migraine again so I was taking him to the infirmary. Besides Chancellor, I don’t trust this detective. Something about him feels off. I can’t put my finger on it, but it doesn’t sit right.” Atticus looked at Zane who was still standing silently beside him. “And he started asking questions about Zane.”

Sheppard looked at Rhodes and raised his hand to his chin in contemplation. He had told the detective that the only reason he was here was to help protect the Spirit Keys. There was nothing else for him to do. The fact that he was asking after a student who was not one of the Key Holders, that didn’t sit so well with him either.

“Well you go catch up with the group. I will take Truesdale back to the infirmary, and you go find the rest.” He gave it as an order, he knew that Atticus was not likely to do it otherwise.

Atticus looked at Sheppard and then back to Zane. His best friend just stared straight ahead as if not sure what was going on. Atticus squeezed his hand and released him. Leveling Sheppard with a look, he patted Zane’ shoulder and turned around with a smile.

“We will catch up later. Sheppard is going to get you back to the infirmary, and Zane.” He waited until teal eyes looked at him. “You better take the pain medication when you get there. Sleep and stop torturing yourself.”

Atticus walked away with that last comment. He would find Zane later and take him to the lighthouse to get out for a bit. It would be good for both of them. Pulling out his Duel Link he messaged his sister and found out they were at her dorm room. Messaging back, he told them to wait, he would be there in a little bit.

Atticus walked into the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorm, he found them waiting in the entry room. Everyone was standing in a circle talking and waved with smiles when they saw him. Atticus gave his signature grin when he reached them.

“Zane make it back to the infirmary?” Alexis whispered when he stood next to her.

“Yeah, Sheppard is taking him back. Apparently I was not allowed to leave, and need to listen to this guy.” Atticus looked at Alexis. “Thanks sis. I mean it.”

She smiled and squeezed his hand in comfort. “I am always here for you Atticus. You don’t need to shoulder everything on your own. Just remember that I love you and always have your back.”

Detective Zaloog and the Slifers made their way over to the siblings. Detective Zaloog nodded in greeting. “Now then, you are the last one that needs to find a hiding spot for the key. Shall we make your way to your dorm?”

Atticus didn’t respond, he didn’t care if it wasn’t polite. He simply nodded his head and spun on his heels to make his way to the Obelisk Blue Boys Dorm. It was a short distance from the girls dorm and they all walked in. None of the students in there said anything about seeing Slifers walking in with the siblings. It had long since become common knowledge that they were friends.

Climbing the winding staircase, they made their way to the last room on the top floor. Atticus’s room was one that overlooked the ocean and he loved it. Opening his door he walked in with all of the others. Once inside the room, Atticus made his way to his nightstand.

Detective Zaloog walked over with him and noticed the picture on the small square table, right below the light. It was an image of the brunette teen, the teal haired one he saw earlier and one he didn’t recognize. Clearly the girl was right and they were friends for a long time. And getting a good look at the teal haired teen’s face… it confirmed what he needed to know. He watched as the last Key Keeper opened his drawer and put the key in.

“Well, things I need to keep safe, I keep in here. It has a number of different items that hold meaning to me.” Atticus straightened up and looked at the detective. “Any complaints?”

Chazz walked up and looked in the drawer, Atticus didn’t mind. Chazz has been a loyal friend since he came back to Duel Academy. Chazz made a sound and stood straight, closing the drawer quietly. Everyone looked at Detective Zaloog for affirmation.

“Yes, very good. And it is close by, that way you can keep an eye on it.” He looked to the others around him. “Now children get to bed, you all must be exhausted. I will be on call from the Academy should anything happen.”

Everyone walked out of Atticus’s room, leaving him alone. Atticus looked down at the photograph and wondered about the strange man staring at it. It didn’t settle well and he walked out of his dorm room. Closing the door and locking it he made his way to the infirmary, thinking that maybe he would camp out in the infirmary.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

It was the middle of the night, when Atticus found himself being shaken awake. He had come back to the infirmary to find Zane actually sleeping, Nurse Fontaine told him that she didn’t even need to give him anything. He had laid down and fell asleep on his side, just like he used to. Atticus had come in and snapped a picture of how adorable he looked. The amount of blackmail he was getting was going to be so worth the ass kicking that Zane would give when his memories came back.

Atticus jerked up from where his head was resting next to Zane’s. Blinking his eyes clear, he looked at the worried faces of their group. Alexis, Chazz, Syrus, Jaden and Chumley all looked pale and scared. Stretching, he realized that it was not a good idea to sleep slumped over like that.

“What happened? What’s wrong?” Atticus demanded.

“The keys! They are gone!” Jaden exclaimed, loudly.

“Shut up! Zane has always been a light sleeper,” Atticus hissed. He glanced at the still sleeping face of his friend. Zane was curled on his side, his head resting on his arm and his breathing barely changed.

Atticus rose up and motioned for the rest of them to leave, he followed them out. Closing the door, he looked at them closely. His sleep addled brain was starting to piece together what Jaden yelled. When the last piece clicked, Atticus panicked.

“Wait, what do you mean the keys are missing?!” he demanded.

“Winged Kuriboh woke me up and we found a hole drilled in our wall. The desk drawer where Sy and I hid our keys was open and everything was thrown out. When we put everything back in, we realized the keys were missing,” Jaden explained.

“They came and woke me up next. Someone destroyed my door and got into my hidden compartment where I was hiding my key with my precious items. My key is gone,” Chazz spat out.

“When they called me, I looked at my jewelry box and found it open and the key gone. Everything was scattered around my room,” Alexis said quickly. “We went to your room hoping to see you and when we didn’t, I opened the drawer you put your key in. It was missing as well.”

Atticus was frozen for a moment, their keys were stolen… but Chancellor Sheppard said that they could only be taken in a duel. None of them dueled, someone just stole the keys. So they had no way to open the Spirit Gates.

“Let’s alert Chancellor Sheppard and I suppose we need to alert the detective as well.” Everyone heard footsteps walking up and saw Detective Zaloog with four people behind him.

One person was the large janitor who rarely spoke to anyone. He was still in his blue janitorial overalls complete with the blue cap. Another stood next to him was the other school nurse. She wore a white jacket and had her stethoscope around her neck. Her long brown hair was stylishly arranged, even though it was nearly the middle of the night. Next was the security guard, he adjusted his large, round glasses resting on his nose. His security uniform was a dark navy and matched his hat that sat atop his messy, spikey light brown hair. Finally the shortest of them was another Slifer student. He was shorter than Syrus and had blonde hair in disarray.

“Hello students, I rounded up some suspects. These people were around when you all hid your keys, so they must know something,” Detective Zaloog said.

“So you will question them?” Syrus asked. His light blue eyes were wide and he looked at all of them. A group of five… something in his stomach clenched.

“In due time young man. I first have some questions for you all.” He looked at the infirmary door. “Why don’t we speak in there? No one should disturb us.”

“No, we can find someplace else to speak,” Atticus snapped out. Everyone looked at him. “There are students in there that need rest to recover. How could you suggest that we speak in there and disturb them?” Atticus could feel his blood pressure rise at the thought.

“My apologies, I thought it was an empty room. We can find another room,” Detective Zaloog responded with a bite of his own heard.

“We can talk in my room,” Chazz said. His arms were crossed over his chest and he snapped his head up to look at the rest. “This is a case for Chazz Princeton. I will get answers one way or another.”

Everyone looked at Chazz like he lost his mind. But he seemed to have an idea, so there was no harm in seeing where this went. They all followed him back to the Slifer dorm and walked into his room, sitting on or around his massive bed. Chazz looked at all of them and narrowed his eyes. He knew who did it, just needed to get them to confess. Smirking, he thought it paid to be able to connect to duel spirits, especially when they could tell you things no one else could.

“Now then, everyone who knew where the keys were hidden is in this room. So the thief must be too,” Chazz pointed out. He sat crossed legged in the middle of the bed.

“Yeah, I guess… But we need evidence don’t we?” Syrus questioned. He sat in between Atticus and Jaden on the bed with his knees bent up.

“You know, now that you mention that Syrus… I did find a red nail on my floor,” Alexis said.

Chazz noticed how the nurse tried to look discreetly at her left hand, and he noticed that she was indeed missing an artificial nail. “That’s a very promising clue Lex. Where is it now?”

She flushed and looked down. “I kind of uh… threw it in the garbage…”

“The garbage?” Chazz demanded looking at her. “Well that goes that clue.”

“Yeah, guess I goofed up.”

“You know, there was hole in the wall of our room,” Jaden piped up. Syrus nodded his head in agreement.

The other Slifer CK moved his hand behind his back, trying to hide the tool he was carrying. Chazz noticed it and made another note of it. One more nail in their coffin.

“And let me guess slackers, you patched it up already right?” Chazz snapped.

“Well… yeah,” Jaden responded quietly. He looked at the ceiling, trying to avoid Chazz’s eyes. Syrus looked down in shame.

“Man you guys are really something.” Chazz huffed and crossed his arms in annoyance.

“Hey thanks, we do what we can,” Jaden laughed, while rubbing the back of his head.

“You sure do,” Chazz muttered murderously.

“Well I wasn’t in my room, so I can’t say if there was any evidence,” Atticus said. He looked at Chazz and shrugged his shoulders. He was not going to feel bad for being at the infirmary.

“Well I can answer all of our questions.” Chazz went down the line pointing at the four people the detective brought in. “All four of them did it!”

“You heard everyone, there isn’t any proof! You have nothing on us!” the nurse screeched. She was gripping the clipboard tightly and shook slightly.

“Look how about I ask the questions,” Detective Zaloog snapped. Quite frankly everyone was shocked he remained silent for so long.

Chazz smirked and reached a hand in his pocket pulling out; he whipped the three Ojama brother cards around. “Why don’t we ask these three? See when he hid each of the spirit keys, I put one of these cards with them.” Smirking he placed them down on the mattress and pulled out the cards he took from the well. “And in my room, I had all of these cards watching you!” He flipped the cards around and they scattered, causing him to cringe. “The point is, they all saw who did it!”

“Caught ya red handed!” Ojama Black snapped.

“Certainly did!” Ojama Green said, pointing a finger at the group.

“You’re so busted!” Ojama Yellow yelled with a grin.

“Who… told you what?” Detective Zaloog asked.

The others were looking around in confusion as well. No one could see anything, but the friends knew that Chazz could see duel spirits. So if he said he knew something they believed him. They looked at Chazz looking frustrated.

“Well maybe you can’t see them, but I can and I know they are behind this detective,” Chazz bit out. His eyes were narrowed and fists clenched.

Detective Zaloog snickered evilly and looked at all of them. “You’re mistaken, it’s not just them. It’s me too!” The group all stood up and threw off their clothes. Which frankly disturbed all the teens. Atticus leaned down and tried to cover eyes. They revealed their strange, matching outfits hidden under their other clothes. “We are the criminal ring known as the Dark Scorpions!” They struck a pose like something out of a bad movie.

“Uh sorry, never heard of you,” everyone said simultaneously. 

“Of course you haven’t. We have been deep undercover in your school. Just waiting and biding our time until the right moment. That moment was now!” Zaloog said.

“So, to use the keys you have to beat me in a duel!” Chazz snapped. He placed a fist on his chest. “So bring it on Shadow Riders!”

Everyone jumped up and made their way outside. Alexis, Atticus, Jaden, Syrus and Chumley all stood by watching Chazz. He started out strong, summoning one of his most powerful monsters. However the Dark Scorpions had a trick up their sleeves. One that had Syrus, Jaden and Atticus all freezing.

“Wait, so he is a card?” Syrus stuttered. He remembered the vision. Zane dueled against people who claimed to be duel monster cards.

Atticus stepped forward angrily. They are Shadow Riders and two of them had been in close contact with Zane multiple times. Meanae was one of the school nurses, granted Nurse Fontaine was the one mainly in charge of Zane’s care, but Meanae was involved as well. Cliff was one of the security guards Sheppard assigned to keep Zane safe. They had multiple chances to do something and no one here had been any wiser.

“Chazz!” Atticus yelled and the younger duelist turned his attention to Atticus shocked by the pure venom in his tone. “Make them suffer!”

The Shadow Riders looked shocked at Atticus. His gaze turned hard and deadly, his temper was coming to the forefront. It was a temper that was well known around the academy, even his two best friends knew to hit the deck when he sounded like this. In fact a couple of the Shadow Riders took a step back.

“Oh don’t worry, we won’t be taking Hell Kaiser back.” Everyone gasped. Zaloog chuckled darkly. “Oh yes, I knew I recognized him standing at the window. Then to see the picture of him on your nightstand… that confirmed it for me. So I spoke with Meanae about him and she got the records. As much as we had planned to take him back, apparently the boss isn’t interested. Since his recovery it will cause too many questions if he were to go missing again.”

Atticus clenched his fists and grit his teeth. He could feel his temper rising, it was a raging flame come up and he didn’t even want to control it. Before he could do or say anything, Chazz barked out a laugh and turned back to the Dark Scorpions.

“You must really be delusional if you think we would have let you get close enough to do something. We all have been keeping an eye on him. And now that you revealed that, I will destroy you. You better thank your lucky stars that I am the one dueling you. Atticus has no concept of mercy when it comes to people like you.”

Atticus looked at Chazz in shock. Smiling he realized Chazz was growing and opening up about his trust with them. He cared and now was showing it, even a little bit. Chazz would win this duel, there would be nothing to worry about.

The duel continued and Chazz, despite having been taken by surprise once, didn’t make the same mistake twice. He managed to block out three monster spots on their side of the field, and summoned Ojama King. Combined with his spell card Ojamuscle, King’s attack points rose to 3000. It managed to completely end the duel. All in all it was rather short, Chazz was too prepared.

While Don Zaloog lay on the ground disoriented, his shadow charm eye patch glowed and all the Dark Scorpions vanished in the light. Everyone gasped in shock, the keys were laying on the ground now. Each of the Key Keepers picked up their keys and placed them back where they knew they would be safe. Chazz also picked up the shadow charm and stared at it with narrowed eyes.

“Chazz, you ok? What’s wrong?” Jaden asked worriedly.

“Nothing, just tired now. I am going back to bed.” Chazz put the charm in his pocket and after putting the key back around his neck, he strode back to his room.

Atticus placed a hand on his Chazz’s shoulder. The younger looked at him with a question in his eyes. Atticus smiled and after a couple taps, he squeezed. “You did good Chazz. Thank you for doing this. Now I don’t have to worry so much about Zane thanks to you. And especially thanks to you thinking ahead, we knew right away who the culprits were. Have a good night. Syrus, I am going to stay with Zane tonight. You get some sleep.” With that he left the others standing there. Alexis chased after her brother.

“You aren’t going to start blaming yourself with this now too are you? Even Chancellor Sheppard didn’t know they were Shadow Riders and he hired them.” Alexis looked at her brother as they made their way across the campus.

Atticus remained silent and she took that as the only answer she needed. He was going to try carrying this blame too. Well he would just have to guess again. She just barely got him to start being open with her about what was going on. He didn’t get to go backwards on her.

“Alexis, I can’t promise I won’t feel guilty. I have carried this guilt for two years, it has become a part of me.” He stopped walking for a moment and looked up at the large infirmary building. “But at least now, Zane is safer. And he will be stuck with us around him more. I will tell Sheppard about this in the morning. All I can say is I will try to focus on the here and now, not the guilt of the past or of not knowing everything.”

Alexis smiled serenely at her brother. She hugged him tight and let go. She knew he would be sleeping in the infirmary again tonight. It would take an army to move him now, and she laughed quietly about it. Atticus looked at her in question.

“I just feel bad for Zane when he gets his memories back. From what I remember of him, he is not the type who likes people around 24/7 and he will be enduring that now. Knowing you, you won’t let him out of your sight. You will have your hands full with him big bro. Good luck.” With that she waved to her brother as she made her way to her own dorm.

Atticus walked in the infirmary and made his way to Zane’s bedside. He was still asleep on his side. His teal bangs hair fell across his face and he breathed deeply. No sign of distress for the first time in probably two years. Atticus sat down on the chair and took a few moments to look at him. He looked peaceful and it made his heart ache. Glancing around the infirmary he noticed that there wasn’t anyone else around.

Leaning down, he kissed Zane on the forehead. Zane mumbled in his sleep and shifted slightly. Atticus smiled and leaned back in his chair, reaching out to grip the hand that rested by his sleeping face, Atticus closed his eyes and let himself get some sleep. He would keep Zane safe and find a way to get back to where they were before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I managed to get this out quicker than I planned. I actually had a couple days off from the clinic so I decided to do some catch up on this book. I didn't go into too much detail on the duel, because quite frankly NOTHING changed. Chazz was still a badass and wiped the floor with them. I loved how in canon he was the one who added that extra security of his Ojama Cards. He was the only smart one in my opinion. As always thoughts and comments welcome. Let me know what you all think!


	22. Cyber Legacy

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO: CYBER LEGACY

The next morning, Atticus woke with a kink in his neck and back aching. He blinked his eyes a couple of times to try and adjust them. The window showed the beginnings of early morning light streaming through. Even though he was up late last night dealing with those Dark Scorpion dorks, he was still up early. 

His gaze went down to Zane still sleeping in the bed. At some point, Zane had closed his fingers around Atticus’s hand and was now holding it. The brunette smiled and gave a gentle squeeze on the hand, noticing that it was colder than it used to be and felt slightly frail. He gently pulled their intertwined hands up and kissed Zane’s knuckles. Out of the two of them, Atticus was the romantic one, Zane felt too awkward with it.

Lowering their hands to his lap, Atticus just sat there watching Zane sleep for a bit longer. He would need to go get ready for his first class soon, but this was the most at peace he felt in a long time. Even with Zane not fully recovered just the fact that he was found and near him, set things right for him. Using his free hand, he brushed the teal bangs away from Zane’s forehead and the contact seemed to have him stirring.

Freezing, Atticus let go of Zane’s hand and sat still. Lashes fluttered and his lids lifted to reveal teal eyes. Zane looked at him and blinked a couple of times before sitting up. He looked at the opposite wall and stretched his arms above his head, closing his eyes he sighed. Opening them once more he looked at Atticus and looked confused.

“Did you sleep in here again?” Zane asked, concern noticeable in his tone.

“Yeah, actually not too bad.” Atticus laughed and shook his head. Zane just stared at him. “Well ok that’s a lie, but I really don’t mind. I like waking up and seeing you still here. Let’s me know that the last month hasn’t been a dream. You are still here and I don’t have to worry about you vanishing again,” Atticus spoke solemnly.

“Atticus, I’m sorry. Whatever happened, I wish I had been honest and upfront with you.” Placing the palm of his hand against his forehead, he put pressure.

“Nope, not doing this so early in the morning.” Atticus pulled the hand away, forcing Zane to look at him. He kept the hand gripped between both of his. “You are going to stop torturing yourself. I don’t know how many more times or any other way to say this. You trying to force the memories to come is actually causing even more problems and harm. All you need to do is relax and allow the memories to return naturally.” Atticus squeezed the hand he held in comfort.

“I really feel as if there is something you all have to know immediately. I just feel as if there is more danger than any of you realize,” Zane said quietly, his eyes downcast.

“All the more reason to let your mind recover naturally Truesdale.”

The sound of the voice of the unnoticed intruder had both of them stiffening. Turning their heads, they saw Chancellor Sheppard standing there looking at both of them with a knowing grin. His hands clasped behind his back and even though it was early, he was dressed in his burgundy academy jacket. Atticus felt his face flush and he slowly lowered the hand he was holding to the bed. Both teens looked at the head of Duel Academy and were still as statues.

“Rhodes, Alexis came and spoke with me. She told me what happened, and quite frankly I am surprised you were not standing at my door this morning ready to tear me apart for that.” His eyes darted to Zane for a brief moment before looking back at Atticus. “You go get ready for class, I planned on speaking with Truesdale today while the rest of you were in class.” Sheppard gave Atticus a hard look, one that meant he was going to have to give in.

“Yeah, I was about to head back and get ready.” He looked at Zane. “I only have a couple of classes to worry about today. So when I am done, we will go out and get some fresh air. Does that work for you?”

The beginnings of a smile pulled his lips upward. “Yeah, that sounds good. I am starting to wonder if I always hated being inside like this.”

Atticus forced the smile to stay in place and stood up. Giving Zane’s shoulder a squeeze, he turned and walked out of the infirmary. He passed Sheppard and the two of them shared a look. Besides Syrus, the two of them were the ones that cared the most for Zane. When Sheppard revealed the history he had with Zane as a mentor, it shined a whole new light of respect on the man.

“I will see you during free period Zane. Listen to Sheppard and don’t push yourself too hard.” With that Atticus walked out and left the two of them.

Zane looked at the person who apparently gave him his deck, who he told at one point that he could hear Cyber End Dragon. Zane remained still and quiet, trying to think of something to say and it appeared as if Chancellor Sheppard was thinking the same thing. A question popped into his mind to ask.

“Can you tell me about Cyber End Dragon?” Zane asked.

Sheppard smiled at him and nodded his head. “Would you like to go to my office? We can speak privately in there and it will allow you to get a change of scenery.” Chancellor Sheppard left the offer on the table. Zane nodded his head and threw back the sheet and stood up. He went to grab the jacket hanging on the hook when Sheppard stopped him. “I have your new jacket in my office. Don’t worry about grabbing that one.”

Zane’s eyes widened and he smiled slightly. He had been hoping to see what kind of jacket he wore before everything. Apparently Atticus had taken the black leather jacket and done something with it. No one wanted to look at it again, and were worried it would create problems for him. So he had no idea where it went, which was actually alright with him.

“Thank you,” Zane replied and followed Sheppard out of the room.

A few minutes later both walked into the head office and Sheppard dragged a chair around, so Zane could sit on the other side of the desk. Motioning for the younger to sit, Zane did and he sat ramrod straight. His hands resting on his legs and he looked at Sheppard.

Walking around his desk, he opened a drawer and pulled out a white box with a blue ribbon. He handed it to Zane and smiled. “Open it. Hopefully we have the right size. It seems as though you lost some weight during your disappearance, and we had to order a completely different jacket.”

Zane stood up and opened the box. Setting it down on Sheppard’s desk, the Obelisk shook the jacket out. The first thing he noticed was that unlike Atticus’s jacket, this had two tails in the back. They both appeared stiff and flared out. The rest was identical and he slid it on. In a strange way, it felt normal, he felt better with it on.

As if on sensory memory, Zane buttoned it closed and adjusted the cuffs the way he liked. Sheppard’s eyes widened. If Truesdale did that, then the old him must still be in there. They just needed to find a way to break through whatever was blocking his memories. Apparently he was staring too long, because Zane looked at him concerned.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No, not at all. You always were particular with how your jacket fit so it was nice to see some of the old you coming out. I always had hoped to find you, to know you are alright. Now why don’t you have a seat? You and I have some catching up to do. I have a number of things to share with you. One of those being the fact that you are the one and only heir to an ancient form of dueling known as the Cyber Legacy,” Sheppard said with a smile.

“Cyber Legacy?” Zane questioned as he sat back in the high back leather chair.

“Yes, but we will get to that. You wanted to know about Cyber End Dragon. Well we will start there, and I hope it helps put you at ease, even a little bit.”

Zane felt himself smile back. This person knew a completely different side of who he was, the one who showed him what dueling was meant to be. Feeling the warmth coming from his pocket, he pulled Cyber End Dragon out and rubbed it.

“So you can still hear it?” Sheppard questioned, once they were both seated.

“Yes, it doesn’t communicate so much with words as it does with emotions. Then I am able to interpret those emotions into words. That is the best way I can describe it. Right now, it feels content and is letting me know that you are safe. I don’t have to fear anything from you.” Zane looked down at the card and back to Sheppard’s face.

“Truesdale, what you told me, puts my mind at ease. Why don’t I start at the beginning of our story?” He waited for Zane to nod his head. “We met years ago, you nine years old. I used to run a school on top of a mountain, one that was only for the most focused and serious duelists. You immediately stood out above the rest. You may have been the youngest, but you were the most gifted. I started really watching and noticed you were an observer as well. You watched all the others in the school, you watched their strengths and weaknesses and calculated accordingly.”

Zane was shocked to hear how long they truly had known each other. Cyber End Dragon gave a wave of confirmation. As if it felt that it’s master was unsure and needed the confirmation from someplace safe. Nodding his head, to let Sheppard know he was listening and to continue.

“When I pulled you aside for a trial duel, and when you drew your card, I had you show them to me. Once I got a look, I looked at your deck. You told me how you watched me duel and planned your strategies and stacked your deck with cards that would work against me. I was the most impressed I have ever been, even today. As a nine year old, you managed to tap into what dueling is really about. You studied your opponent and learned from him. That was when I decided you were worthy to have Cyber End Dragon.” Sheppard paused for a moment and saw a question in Zane’s eyes. At times like this, he was glad he knew how to read Truesdale, the boy had a poker face even now. So he waited until it was asked.

“So, you didn’t know that I could hear it before then?” Zane questioned.

“No, not at this point. About a week later, you were standing in front of the tapestry with the Cyber Dojo Emblem on it. You had your duel disk on and were staring at it very determinedly. When you drew your cards, you asked Cyber End Dragon how to summon him. Something must have happened, because moments later you gasped and looked at the cards you drew. They were your three Cyber Dragons, Power Bond and Polymerization.” He looked Zane in the eyes. “In order to summon Cyber End Dragon you needed to learn to fuse your three Cyber Dragons together.” Sheppard smiled at the memory, the sound of an ecstatic nine year old. “You were so excited. You kept exclaiming that the card ‘spoke to you’. I had never been more proud of a student before or after you.”

“When did I tell you? That part, you were standing somewhere I didn’t see, am I correct?” Zane asked, clearly engaged with the story.

“You told me a few weeks after that. The class was winding down and everyone was starting to pack up and go home. You were the last to leave, we were sitting in the gathering room having one last lunch and some hot tea. It wasn’t until later that evening you were due to leave, so I was enjoying some last minute time with you. You put your cup down and looked at me with the most serious expression I have ever seen from a child.” Sheppard cracked a grin at the memory.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

“I have something to tell you master,” a young Zane Truesdale said to him.

Sheppard looked up with a start. They were enjoying one last meal and tea before Truesdale left. He looked at his young protege and noticed the determined glint and hard set of his childish features. His teal eyes were wide, but had an air of maturity that lacked in other students. He was still dressed in the navy blue uniform the school had. Sitting cross legged in front of him, Zane made an interesting contradictory image. A childish body, with the soul and mind of an adult.

“What is it Truesdale? You know you can speak to me about anything,” Sheppard’s solemn voice responded.

“Well it’s about Cyber End Dragon.” Zane looked down with a sheepish expression, a light flush on his cheeks. “You see when I was standing in front of the tapestry one day, I was asking how to summon it. And well, the tapestry flashed for a moment, and I had this impression in my mind. When I looked down at the cards I drew, it showed me how to summon it. The card spoke to me, not with words, but I understood it nonetheless.” Zane looked at him, eager once more. “It was the coolest thing. The card spoke to me! It told me how to summon it!”

Sheppard smiled and didn’t have the heart to tell him that he was there. He was glad Truesdale felt comfortable enough with him to share. It wasn’t easy, mainly because so many people, duelists and civilians alike, didn’t believe in Duel Spirits anymore. So the fact that Zane was sharing this with him, made him feel special.

“Good job Truesdale. Connecting with a duel spirit, that is something NO ONE can teach you. That comes from inside you. Not even I have the ability, but I know people who do and they are amazing duelists because they are able to connect with their decks. This will be a huge asset to you as you advance. Never forget to keep that bond and strengthen it.”

The door opened and in walked one of the school helpers. “Sir, I am ready to take Zane Truesdale back down the mountain and to the airport.”

Both stood up and faced one another for the last time. Sheppard smiled proudly at his little protege and Zane bowed deeply at the waist. When he stood up he nodded his head respectfully and walked over to the open door. Reaching down he grabbed his bags and heavy parka for the cold.

“Goodbye and good luck Truesdale. I hope to meet you again one day,” Sheppard called.

“Yes sir! I will show just how far I will go,” Zane exclaimed. 

Sheppard realized he got more emotion and animation out of the boy in the last hour than he did in the months he studied here. He wasn’t sure if their paths would cross again, odds were not likely, but he hoped they would. He wanted to see how far he would go and what kind of duelist he became. Sheppard had high expectations for him, and he knew Truesdale would hit every one of them.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Zane looked shocked. He told Sheppard he could hear Cyber End Dragon and apparently Sheppard knew all along. He stared at his old mentor for a moment, something tingling in the back of his mind wanting to come forward, but couldn’t. Almost as if there were a wall blocking any and all things from passing.

Gritting his teeth, Zane fought the urge to place his hand on his head. He was tired of people treating him as if he were made of glass and would fracture under the lightest pressure. He wanted to remember and hearing people talk about these memories and show him proof, made him want it even more. Hearing of the mentorship he had with Chancellor Sheppard, the friendship with Atticus and the relationship with his brother Syrus… people who cared about him and he in turn cared about.

“Truesdale, I meant it when I said you are better off letting the memories come back naturally. We don’t know what happened, or what kind of damage could be done if you push yourself too hard. I know this is hard for you. You were the most stubborn and prideful student I ever taught, which is probably why you lasted so long. But take a step back and allow yourself to be cared for. I know Rhodes has been worried sick about you,” Sheppard chided softly.

“Rhodes?” Zane questioned. His brows drew together in confusion. He had heard that name before, but never was able to put a face to it.

“Sorry, Atticus, I get used to calling students by last names. You were always Truesdale to me, although now with your brother here, I suppose that won’t work as well.” Sheppard chuckled. “You and Atticus became very close and it did my heart good to see. You never let people near you, so when he wore you down and I saw how close you two became I was overcome with joy.”

A light knocking at the door alerted them that someone wanted to enter. Looking at the clock, Sheppard realized that they had been talking for a couple of hours. Clearly Atticus wanted Zane back. A knowing smile crossed his face and he commanded them to enter.

The door slid open and sure enough there stood Atticus. A new white jacket on, his wrinkled pants changed and his hair still messy, but slightly tamed. His eyes lit up when he saw Zane and he walked right over. Grinning from ear to ear, he put a hand on the back of the chair where Zane was sitting.

“Have a good talk?” Atticus asked.

“Yes, Chancellor Sheppard is helping me put some of the pieces together. And answered some questions I had,” Zane responded.

“Good.” His large brown eyes slid to Sheppard. “You don’t mind if I steal him now do you Chancellor? The next two are free periods for me. I promised to take him to the lighthouse, we always used to go there when either of us needed fresh air.”

“You two go, I know how this works Rhodes.” Sheppard had an all knowing gleam in his eyes.

Atticus froze for a moment and shot a glare at Sheppard to keep his mouth shut. A booming laugh echoed in the room and both teens looked at the laughing Chancellor. Zane looked completely confused by what was happening, and Atticus was caught between murderous and mortified. He glared at Sheppard and grabbed Zane by the hand, dragging him out of the office to their favorite spot on the island.

Sheppard watched the two of them leave, with a smile. If Sheppard had to pick anyone for Truesdale it would be Rhodes. Atticus managed something that no one else did. Zane learned to trust and formed a close relationship with someone. Given how polar opposites and yet strikingly similar they are, Sheppard could see this working.

At the end of the day, all he wanted was for Zane to be happy. And if Atticus was it for him, then Sheppard supported it 100%.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus managed to drag Zane to the lighthouse and they stood there silently. Atticus was still in shock of Sheppard teasing him like that, Zane had absolutely idea what Sheppard was teasing them about, and Atticus thanked God for small mercies.

“How did your talk with Chancellor Sheppard go?” Atticus asked.

Zane had been staring at the waves for the past couple of minutes. The wind blew his hair around his shoulders and face. He stood tall and proud with his arms crossed over his chest. Physically, Zane looked the same with his own jacket on. It had Atticus thinking about the last couple of years and how things changed.

“It went well. He helped me understand some things and now I feel comfortable with him.” Zane uncrossed his arms and pulled out Cyber End Dragon. “Apparently he gave me Cyber End Dragon and knew from the get go that I have the ability to hear duel spirits.” Zane looked at Atticus. “I don’t want to sound too weird, but Cyber End communicates with me in emotions. For example right now, it feels… happy. It lets me know who it feels safe around and it translates to me.” Teal eyes looked at Atticus as if waiting for condemnation.

Atticus smiled and nodded his head. He moved closer and looked down at the card Zane was holding. During the last two years when he had possession of it, he felt a warmth emanating from it. Even if he hadn’t formed a friendship with Jaden or Chazz, who had the ability to see duel spirits, he would have believed Zane. He was never the type to make up a story anyway.

“I believe you. When you were missing for two years, I had possession of the card.” Zane looked at him in surprise. “It was only recently that I handed the card to Syrus to keep until we found you. Syurs then returned it to you, hoping to help you wake up when you were in a coma. But when I had it, I could feel a strange warmth coming from it. I never got anything beyond that, but it made me feel as if you were still around and gave me hope to keep looking,” Atticus said with a soft smile.

“If this card is so special to me, why wasn’t it with me? I can’t see myself leaving it… but maybe that was a good thing. It kept Cyber End safe… oh,” Zane muttered and narrowed his eyes at the card.

“You alright? What’s wrong?” Atticus asked worriedly. He put a hand on Zane’s arm and looked at the card as well.

“Cyber End Dragon isn’t happy with me saying that. It would rather have been with me, instead of me being there alone. But given what I have heard you all talk about… I am glad it wasn’t.” Zane moved his gaze from the card to the crashing waves in front of him.

“Well Cyber End Dragon and I can agree with that. We both want to keep you safe, so get used to us never leaving your side. Hey, can Cyber End Dragon understand when you or anyone else speaks to it?” Atticus asked suddenly.

“Yes it can. Duel spirits are sentient beings as well, they can understand the world around them. It’s more the humans who can’t see or understand them. Why?” Zane looked back to Atticus with confusion in his eyes.

“Because I want to say something and hope it hears me.” Atticus looked at the card. “Cyber End Dragon, I hope you understand that I am glad Zane has you as a duel spirit. It’s obvious that you would do anything to protect your master, well you have a group of us who also would do anything. And thank you for giving Syrus and me comfort and strength to keep looking.”

Zane smiled and looked at Atticus. “Well, you seem to have won it over. It’s saying that it was glad to have two others take care of it, but…” Zane trailed off, trying to contain a smile.

“What? But what?” Atticus pushed. Seeing Zane trying not to smile piqued his interest.

“Well don’t take this the wrong way… but it is glad to have me back instead. Apparently it’s pretty picky about who has possession of it.” Zane chuckled under his breath a little bit.

“Well, given that it’s an ancient duel spirit, I think it earned that right,” Atticus laughed out loud. “Anyway, I mean it. You have that as a protector as well as all of us. You aren’t vanishing on us again.”

The two of them shared a look and Atticus slid his arm around Zane’s shoulders to pull him in for a hug, just like he did before. Between the warmth radiating from his card, and the warmth in his chest from the contact, Zane felt at peace. His talk with Chancellor Sheppard had helped and now spending the morning outside with Atticus at the lighthouse… it allowed him to feel more at peace than he had in a long time.

Looking down at Cyber End Dragon, Zane smiled. While Sheppard never did circle back to the whole ‘heir to the Cyber Legacy’ he knew it would come up again. For now he was going to enjoy the warmth he was feeling, and something told him he would soon be able to remember everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this wasn't supposed to be this long, but I felt it needed to happen. Both Sheppard and Crowler didn't want to overwhelm Zane, so the chose to hang back for a bit. But Sheppard couldn't stay away any longer, Zane was always his favorite student in the anime from S1. Granted the whole Hell Kaiser thing put a damper on that, but he never stopped caring for his student. So he would do anything to help him and that's where this chapter came from. Sheppard has always been one of my favorites and wanted to see more interaction between him and Zane, to know more about their history. Yes S2 touched on it, but I like to know backstories, so I decided to expand on it myself. Hope you all enjoyed it, as always thoughts and comments welcome.


	23. Legend Slayer

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE: LEGEND SLAYER

Syrus Truesdale in his last class of the day. They had a massive test and the start of a new lesson that day, so Syrus was required to be there. He had been holding up his end of the bargain and his grade average was actually at 90%, but Professor Banner said he needed to be in class for his lesson. The new lesson was the start of Duel Monsters Legends.

Professor Banner stood at the front of the class showing his class images of World Champion Duelists. The two on the screen currently were Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba. Two duelists who brought the game mainstream and turned it into a profession, when it used to be a past time. Seto Kaiba was the one who funded the school.

The image of Yugi was on the right side of the screen. His wildly spikey hair and cheerful smile were a direct contrast to Kaiba’s clean cut hair and confident smirk, which was displayed on the left side. They were polar opposites and yet both worked together to help save the world multiple times. Their dueling records were nearly impeccable, Kaiba had only lost to Yugi and Yugi lost to no one.

“You all know Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba as dueling legends,” Professor Banner said. He held his hand out to each picture on the giant screen. “Far in the way the very best of their generation.”

“And best looking too,” Mindy squealed from her spot next to Alexis. 

Alexis looked at her and sighed. Mindy had her black hair pulled back into a low bun with the ends fanned out. She wore the traditional Obelisk Girl’s uniform and right now was fangirling. Her face rested on her clasped hands and her dark eyes were closed in dreamy contemplation. A light flush was staining her cheeks and Alexis found herself smiling despite herself. It was nice to have a normal day, with Mindy being her usual boy crazy self.

“They’re total dreamboats,” another Obelisk girl echoed the sentiment. Both Mindy and the girl exchanged looks and gave each other the thumbs up.

“I like Mai Valentine,” a young Slifer boy said. He leaned his face on the palm of his hand and his gaze looked off into the distance. Clearly thinking about Mai, the famous female duelist.

“But you do realize class that there were others well before all the names mentioned just now.” Professor Banner moved the slides out from under the projector’s light, placing them back in his folder. Pharaoh was lounging lazily on the podium as he always did, his bushy tail swinging back and forth.

“How is that Prof? I mean Duel Monsters hasn’t been around all THAT long,” Jaden asked. He was leaning an arm against the desk and rested his cheek on a closed fist. His eyes were slightly glazed, as if it was an information overload for his mind.

Syrus was sitting next to him, clearly engaged. His eyes wide and he had a notebook in front of him taking notes vigorously. His light blue eyes slid to Jaden in confusion, Banner went over this before. He adjusted his glasses on his nose and tapped Jaden on his right shoulder. Jaden looked over at him.

“Guess you were asleep during that class Jaden. They used to play back in ancient Egypt,” Syrus quietly filled him in.

“Huh, neat,” Jaden responded before looking back down at Professor Banner.

“That’s right Syrus my boy,” Professor Banner responded with a smile at the younger Truesdale. He took another image from his folder and placed it under the projector light. “And the one of the best back in those days was a powerful Pharaoh named Abidos The Third.”

The image came on the screen and the class looked at it. It was a hand drawn image, copied from the hieroglyphics found in the pyramids. The person was dressed in fine clothes and draped in traditional Egyptian jewelry. He wore a cape with flared shoulders and a headpiece that appeared to have the symbol of the Millenium Items upon it. There were no facial details, all the students could see were two round eye sockets.

“Abidos was undefeated,” Banner finished explaining while the students looked at the image.

That of all things perked Jaden right up. He sat up straight and took a good look at the guy, with a wild grin. “Undefeated? That’s so sweet! He must have been something else.” Jaden brought up a hand and clenched it into a fist. “Course it’s a good thing he isn’t around today, cause that undefeated record would go adios!”

“Sure it would Slacker, and then you would probably defeat Yugi and Kaiba too,” Chazz said from behind the two Slifers. His voice was dripping with sarcasm, it was almost a river.

“You think? Wow, Chazz I didn’t know you had so much faith in me. That just proves we are friends till the end,” Jaden said turning around with a goofy grin on his face.

Chazz felt a tick start in his forehead. This guy could not be this dense! How could he not hear the sarcasm dripping in his voice. He brought twitchy hands up and clenched them into fists in front of Jaden. He grit his teeth.

“It’s SARCASM got that?!” Chazz bit out.

“Well sure, but if you want to change your name, you can do a lot better than ‘Sarcasm’ Chazz,” Jaden responded. He turned back around and put his hands behind his head, leaning back in the seat. Unfortunately that put him right in Chazz’s line of fire.

Hands shot out, one wrapping around Jaden’s neck in a mock stranglehold, the other holding his head and shaking him. Jaden’s eyes bugged out while Chazz proceeded to attempt murder right in front of a multitude of students and a teacher.

“You know what I mean!” Chazz unknowingly raised his voice. Jaden laughed out loud, drawing even more attention.

Syrus looked at them nervously. He didn’t want to get in trouble, getting in trouble in Banner’s class usually led to detention. He made the ‘lower your voice’ motion with his hand. However neither student was paying him any attention. Syrus looked around the room and noticed all eyes were on them.

“Hey guys, come on you’re going to get us in trouble. Stop it, before he notices,” Syrus whispered.

However it appeared Banner had enough. He adjusted his glasses on his face and placed his hands on his narrow hips, glared at the three making a disruption. He was not letting this go.

“I have noticed,” he snapped out. All three looked at him and gulped. “You three can continue in detention tonight.”

Syrus gaped down at the teacher. He went to argue, after all he had not been participating, he in fact tried to stop it. But one hard look, had him clamping his lips together. Banner was already allowing him to spend time with Zane, he didn’t want to anger the teacher. But he narrowed his eyes at Chazz and Jaden, the clear promise of retribution gleaming in their depths. 

Both of them gulped and moved away slightly from Syrus. Anyone who interfered with his time with Zane usually ended up regretting it. And they just took away the possibility of seeing him tonight… they both had a bad sense of foreboding settled in the pit of their stomachs. Jaden felt a sweat drop roll down his face, he and Syrus shared a room, there would be ample time for revenge. Chazz was safer, but only just. Syrus could be patient and he would get his revenge. It would be a matter of time.

Class ended not long after and all the students but those forced to remain behind rose and collected their things. Syrus was still glaring down at the desk, not wanting to look at the other two. He was so furious, this was supposed to be his time with Zane. Atticus needed a little alone time himself, which he hardly ever asked, if ever.

Alexis stopped walking down the raised steps to look at Syrus with sympathy. She brushed her golden hair over her shoulder and leaned down to talk to him. Syrus moved closer so they could talk without anyone else hearing.

“Do you want me to let my brother know? Even though he asked for tonight to himself, I know he would go sit with Zane in a heartbeat. Especially since this wasn’t your fault.” Alexis could not believe Professor Banner would rope Syrus in like that. He wasn’t doing anything wrong.

“Would you please?” Syrus mumbled. He was looking forward to having an evening with Zane, he planned on pulling out some old pictures from when they were kids. Now that plan was out the window.

Alexis smiled serenely and nodded her head. She stood up straight again and patted Syrus on the shoulder in comfort. She shot a glare at the other two and it caused them to scoot back even more. Chazz moved to the seat on the opposite side of the row from Syrus in the row behind him. Jaden jumped over the long table desk and sat next to Chazz. Not only did they piss off Syrus, but Alexis was mad too. She was one you never pissed off, she always got even. And they knew that Atticus was going to be added to the list once he found out.

“Zane will have someone with him tonight. Even if I need to go sit with him. Don’t worry, just keep your head down and don’t kill them.” She leaned closer to whisper in Syrus’s ear. “My brother and I will help get revenge for you. They’ll get hit in triplicate.” Pulling back she smiled sweetly.

Syrus grinned and his eyes lit up. He loved the Rhodes siblings, it was like having a second big brother and a big sister. He stood up and gave her a small hug. Smiling down at the first year Slifer, Alexis returned the hug. When Atticus took Syrus under his wing for Zane, she wasn’t sure how they would get along. But she got to know him and considered him a younger brother. One she too wanted to be there for.

Alexis patted his back and they released one another from the hug. She glared once more at the other two and made her way out of the room. With a dirty look at Professor Banner, which the teacher didn’t see, she went to find Atticus.

She found him standing outside talking with someone from his Duel Law class. It didn’t look friendly, so he didn’t feel bad in the slightest for interrupting it. Walking over the guy with blonde hair widened his green eyes. Atticus turned around and saw Alexis coming up. He grinned at her and with a quick finger salute to the person he was talking to he met her half way.

“Hey sis. What’s up?” Atticus looked around and didn’t see Syrus, Jaden or Chazz. Chumley usually headed straight for the cafeteria and Bastion usually headed back to his dorm at the end of the day, unless they all agreed to meet. Raising an eyebrow he looked back to his sister. “Where are the little ducklings?”

Alexis sighed and motioned for him to follow her. Once they were walking, she looked back at him. “Well long story short, Jaden and Chazz caused a scene in class today. Professor Banner got so angry that he told them they had detention tonight.”

“Ok, but that doesn’t explain where Syrus is. Or is he already halfway to the infirmary?” Atticus tried to joke.

“Nope, because he was sitting next to them, Professor Banner told Syrus he also had detention tonight,” Alexis said. She looked sideways at her brother and noticed he stopped walking.

Turning fully she noticed that his face was a cold mask. He could feel his temper on a knife’s edge. Chazz and Jaden caused the problem but Professor Banner punished Syrus too? What kind of crap was that? And to top it off, now there wasn’t anyone to sit with Zane tonight. Atticus sighed, he had hoped for a little time to collect his thoughts tonight, and Syrus wanted alone time with his brother. It worked perfectly, but apparently not anymore.

“I can go sit with Zane. Maybe he will feel comfortable if he sits with someone he doesn’t have to try and remember,” Alexis offered. She brought her text book up to her chest and held it there. “I mean you never ask for time alone, so the least we could do is give you that Atticus.”

He smiled at his sister, he really did love her. But he would be alright with being with Zane tonight. He would talk to Sheppard in the morning, letting him know that Professor Banner crossed a line punishing an innocent bystander. He ran a hand over his hair and down his tired face. He really didn’t mind sitting and talking with Zane. It actually helped and was something he looked forward to.

“No need, Alexis. I really don’t mind being with him. I was hoping to give Syrus some good, quality time with Zane. I mean at times I feel like I am monopolizing Zane’s time, and it’s important for the brothers to get a steady relationship again.” Atticus smiled.

“True, but you also need to build that foundation again. I know you love him Atticus, and you want to get back to where you were before. There isn’t anything wrong with that big bro, in fact I would be worried if you didn’t want that, after what you told me.” Alexis smiled at him, and slowly it turned devious. “Now, I promised to help Syrus get revenge on Jaden and Chazz for this. You want in?”

Atticus smirked diabolically. “Need you ask?”

“Good, we will start planning a little later. I told Syrus they would get hit in triplicate.” She took a step and waved to her brother. “Well, I am heading back to my dorm. If you need anything don’t hesitate to call me.”

Atticus watched his sister make her way to her dorm. Turning his head toward the sky, he noticed that it was getting dark. Sighing, he looked back down and made his way to the infirmary. All the while thinking about how he was going to get payback on Chazz and Jaden for doing this, as well as Professor Banner for punishing an innocent student.

When he walked into the infirmary, he noticed the lights were dimmed, to nearly off. Nurse Fontaine was working at her desk with a small lamp. Glancing up she smiled in welcome and made the ‘quiet’ motion, by putting her finger to her red painted lips. Atticus raised his eyebrow and made his way over to her.

“Everything alright?” he whispered.

“Yes, Zane is asleep already. He actually told me outright that his head was hurting again, so I gave him medication.” They both looked over to the far bed where the sleeping teen was. Atticus noticed the steady rise and fall of his chest. “Since he has never openly admitted to needing something before, I knew it must have been bad. When I gave him something he closed his eyes and went to sleep, but asked me to tell Syrus he was sorry.”

“Well this works out. Syrus got in trouble for something he didn’t do, and was feeling horrible for not being here. It looks like this worked out all around, if Zane needed a night of going to bed early, this was it.” Atticus turned his attention back to Nurse Fontaine. “Thank you Nurse Fontaine. If he is going to be sleeping tonight, I am going to head back out. Let me know if he needs anything please.”

“Of course, I will be working here for awhile and then getting ready for bed myself soon. With the medicine I gave him, he should sleep easily through the night. Have a good night Attiucs,” she responded with a smile.

Atticus waved and turned around to head out. He walked back to his dorm lost in his thoughts. He was too wound up to get any sleep himself. Putting his textbook down on the study desk, he looked outside. The sun had completely set and now the moon was high in the sky, with glittering stars around it. Atticus decided to go down to the lighthouse tonight. With Zane resting comfortably in the infirmary, now would be a good time to go down and be with his thoughts.

The trip to the lighthouse was quick and uneventful. Since it was so dark outside, no one was outside and he walked down the path and out on the to stand underneath the rotating light. The waves looked particularly violent tonight, which coincided with his thoughts. So many swirling thoughts in his head, he had been pushing back ruthlessly, now were at the forefront demanding to be addressed.

The light rotated around, alternating which side was lit up. Atticus watched it and allowed the wind to whip his face, welcoming the sting. Droplets of water splashed up and hit his face, he closed his eyes and leaned his back against the cold towering structure. Part of him wanted to message his sister, to have someone to talk to. Someone who knew the whole story, who wouldn’t judge him for needing to talk.

The sound of footsteps hit his ears and he snapped his eyes open to see the form of Alexis walking down the way to him. She had put on one of her sports jackets from gym class, to combat the night chill. She still wore the blue skirt, but at least her arms would not freeze. She made her way to him and stood right by his side. Just as silently, she turned her attention to the raging water. After a few moments of them standing silently side by side, she turned her attention to her brother.

“Thought you could use some company. I saw you walking by my dorm, a distant look on your face. I could tell by the general direction you were heading here. It always seemed to give you some kind of peace.” She spoke with a quiet and gentle voice.

“Thanks for coming,” Atticus said quickly. Alexis snapped her head to him, but his gaze was still outward over the horizon. “I was just thinking I needed someone to talk to. I thought once we found Zane, all the questions would be answered and everything would start going back to normal. But that clearly that is not how this works, there are even more questions than ever now. And with all these Shadow Riders… I just don’t know what to do.”

He glared at the water and sky, as if they were responsible for all the problems. He thought about Zane sleeping in the infirmary, actually breaking down and asking for some medicine for his migraines. Whatever he must have gone through, and him consistently putting his health at risk to remember. He thought about all the Shadow Riders they had faced now thus far, but none of them could provide the answers they wanted. He thought about how all of them were just teenagers, and now responsible for the literal protection of the world.

“I don’t think any of us do Atticus,” Alexis countered. He looked to his younger sister, she was wise and brave beyond her years. She smiled back at him, it was a warm and comforting smile she always used. “But right now, we have a moment of peace. Let’s take advantage of it.”

Both siblings smiled at one another, however the tender moment was broken when the sound of cement breaking could be heard. They both gasped and looked down at the waves, expecting to see the section of cement they were standing on breaking. When they didn’t, both whipped around to look behind them. Rising up from the broken section were three… mummies?! Atticus moved in front and pushed his sister behind him, not taking any chances with her safety. She whimpered slightly and held her hand to her mouth in panic.

“Crap, not good,” Atticus muttered. 

He didn’t move from his spot in front of Alexis. The mummies started shuffling closer to them, and the siblings backed up slightly. Right to the edge of the walkway, above the crashing waves. Alexis couldn’t help herself, she let out a high pitch scream. It actually seemed to attract some attention.

“Alexis!” Jaden’s voice yelled.

“Atticus!” Chazz yelled next.

“Mummies?!” Syrus squeaked out.

Both siblings looked over to the left where, on the cliff stood the three Slifers. Atticus noticed they were now running the length of the cliff, as if to come rescue them. However, he knew it was futile, they would be taken as well if they somehow managed to get down here.

“Argh! Save yourselves!” Atticus yelled at them.

“No chance, you need-” Jaden was cut off.

Alexis and Atticus looked up to see countless mummies surrounding the three of them, from both sides. Chazz, Jaden and Syrus all huddled together for protection and Atticus felt his heart stop. He was down here with his sister trying to protect her, and now three others that he wanted to protect were surrounded. This was a living nightmare!

Suddenly a bright golden light came from the clouds in the sky. Everyone looked up toward it, it seemed to blind them. . Raising their hands to shield their eyes, an echoing voice came from above.

“Duelists, I have come for you.” Somehow the light became even brighter, shining until it blinded them all and they sank to their knees, covering their eyes.

When they all seemed to wake up they were on some sort of ship. Atticus was the first to wake and he looked around him. Alexis was unconscious next to him, her head on his shoulder. Syrus, Jaden and Chazz were all lying on their backs in a row. Atticus gently moved his sister’s head off his shoulder and got to his knees, to see what he could find.

Suddenly Alexis woke up and groaned, putting a hand to her head. She blinked her vision clear and looked at her brother. They shared a look and both crawled to the edge and peered over the side of the ship. Once they saw where they were, they both went deathly white. This was a ship that was high above the ground. Sinking back to their butts, they shared a look and wondered what the heck was going on.

At that moment the other three woke up. They looked over and saw both Atticus and Alexis who looked as if they saw a ghost. Syrus and Chazz crawled over, while Jaden just sat cross legged, looking around confused. His eyes were completely unfocused and they gave him a minute. When it looked like his eyes cleared enough, they got his attention.

“Welcome back Jaden,” Atticus said. He had shifted to sit cross legged as well.

“Ah, you guys. What happened?” Jaden rubbed the back of his head.

“They must have been attracted by the Spirit Keys. Considering no one else seems to have been brought here,” Atticus theorized.

Everyone looked at him, and a long gong rang out. Five heads whipped toward the sound and they all stood up. Making their way to an edge of something they peered over. It looked like a long catwalk made of gold. Oh either side below the raised platform, stood rows of what appeared to be mummified servants, exactly like what you would see in a horror film. Finally at the end of the line, was a large golden throne. Three large snake heads rose from behind it and they looked at the person in the chair.

He was leaning his right arm on the armrest, his body posture arrogantly relaxed. Bare feet were resting on the ground. As they all looked at him, Syrus, Alexis, Jaden and Chazz all thought they should recognize this person. Suddenly he lifted his head to look at them. His face was obscured by a gold mask, all they could see were the outline of his eyes.

“Hello there,” he said politely.

Alexis gasped and took a step back. Now she knew where she recognized him. He was in today’s lesson from Professor Banner’s class! The others looked at her in confusion and she just stared. The man rose up from his seat, he started walking down the aisle toward them and Jaden climbed up to face him.

“Jaden!” everyone exclaimed at the same time.

“Hey, what’s the big idea here? Huh, why did you bring us here?” Jaden demanded. He had his legs shoulder width apart and his arm raised with a clenched fist.

“That is not how one should address an Egyptian Pharaoh,” the person said, while continuing to walk until he reached a certain distance from Jaden.

“Egyptian Pharaoh?” Jaden echoed like a parrot.

“He looks just like the picture Banner showed us in class today,” Chazz made the realization.

“Abidos. I knew it,” Alexis whispered.

It seemed as though that was enough to draw Abidos’s attention to her. He tilted his head down to look at Alexis. She felt a shiver run up her spine, the guy creeped her out to no end.

“You would make a fine palace girl, my beautiful doll.” He made the statement as if it were supposed to be a compliment.

“The name’s ALEXIS you masked creep. And I am no one’s doll,” Alexis snapped out.

Atticus snickered and crossed his arms. Everyone looked at him, and he just shrugged his shoulders. “Hey, I know my sister, her bite is always worse than her bark. This guy picked the wrong girl to say that to.”

“Anyway, what’s going on?” Syrus asked. He had his eyes on Jaden.

“He’s a Shadow Rider, no doubt after those Sacred Beast cards like the rest,” Atticus guessed.

“And it seems like the punk has us outnumbered,” Chazz added.

Abidos laughed at them, causing them to look at him once more. “That’s right, so just leave your keys and walk away. You don’t want to duel me.” His voice rang with arrogance and authority.

“Oh, oh, oh! I do, I do!” Jaden excitedly raised his hand in the air. He bounced up and down like a little kid, with a finger pointing at his smiling face. “Over here! Please pick me, come on!”

“Jaden,” Syrus sighed in exasperation. Sometimes he wondered why Jaden had to be so excitable like this.

“And let me show ya, how we duel in the 21st century,” Jaden said with confidence.

“You can’t talk to me like that!” Abidos shot back.

“Yeah, you can’t talk to him like that,” one of the mummified servants repeated. The rest echoed the same sentiment.

“Jaden, take a step back and think,” Atticus demanded. Jaden turned around to look at him. “You do realize this will be a Shadow Game.”

“He’s right, your soul is on the line here,” Alexis added in. “And this guy was undefeated.”

“Not for long. I mean by the time I’m done with him, I’ll be the legend.” Jaden smiled at them and turned back to Abidos. “So get your game on!”

“My game is always on, Key Keeper. Now prepare yourself for-”

“Yeah, yeah! Not our first Shadow Game exactly,” Chazz interrupted annoyed. He pulled back his left arm, which his hand held a duel disk in and tossed it to Jaden. “Catch!”

Syrus looked at it and realized something too late. Stiffening, he looked over his shoulder and saw Chazz had opened his yellow backpack. “Hey that duel disk is mine!”

Jaden caught the disk and pulled out his deck. He smiled down at his friends. “All right, time to throw down!” He slid the disk on his arm, and inserted his deck into it and clicked it on. Abidos did the same and the duel began.

“Royalty before commoner,” Abidos stated. He drew a card and looked at his hand. “First I will summon Pharaonic Protector in defense mode.” The monster appeared and no defense points were registered. “I will lay down a facedown. Your turn.”

“Then here I go!” Jaden exclaimed, drawing a card of his own.

“Not before I activate The First Sarcophagus.” The card flipped up to reveal a trap card with a sarcophagus on it.

“Never heard of it,” Jaden said.

“Well after this match, you will never forget it. Though you may want to,” Abidos said ominously.

The rest looked at the card. Alexis, Chazz and Syrus all turned their attention to Atticus. They assumed he would know about the card as he was the best student at the school. Atticus stared at the trap card, brows drawn together in concentration. He couldn’t remember learning about it, in fact he was in the same boat as the rest, he never heard of it. Which wasn’t a good thing.

The duel continued and the four students were becoming less and less impressed with Abidos. He quite frankly had the skill level of an amateur. It was insulting to think he was an undefeated champ during his time. Their shoulders began to lose some of the tension and they all relaxed, Jaden would pull this win out with no issue.

Jaden launched a move with Elemental Hero Sparkman and attacked Abidos directly. The Pharaoh sank to his knees and didn’t appear to be getting back up. They all stared at him, waiting for him to pull himself back up to continue the duel.

“You can’t attack me!” he screamed.

The rest looked at one another confused. That was part of the game, you played to take your opponent’s lifepoints to zero. Jaden looked slightly uncomfortable with what was going on. He put a hand behind his head and rubbed.

“I can’t? I hate to break it to ya, but that’s how you play the game. Read the rule book man,” Jaden tried explaining.

“But-But I am Abidos, the Greatest Duelist Ever!” He was still kneeling on the ground.

“The greatest?” Jaden questioned. “Not so sure about that man. I mean the way you have been playing, has been well… quite frankly amateur level at best. I mean I was expecting some super secret monsters or some sick combos… but it’s been kind of a let down,” Jaden said with disappointment.

“Yeah, his cards are hardly better than a starter deck,” Syrus pointed out.

Abidos just continued to stare at the ground, not responding to anything they were saying. It appeared as if he was having either some form of mental breakdown or epiphany. No one could be sure with the mask covering his face. However it took a few minutes before he raised his head and looked at Jaden once more. The entire time Jaden just stood there staring at him.

“Wait, could it be that all my servants let me win?” he asked aloud suddenly.

Everyone froze and looked at one another. Thinking about it, it made perfect sense. He was the Pharaoh, no one would dare to defeat him, lest they be used as a sacrifice for such a thing. They all looked back to Jaden once more, unsure how he would go about this.

“Wow, talk about a giant loser!” Chazz spat out.

“You know, I wouldn’t mind some servants like that,” Syrus mumbled. He then winced when Atticus cuffed him upside the head. He looked at the brunette Obelisk sheepishly. “Kidding.”

“But his whole life has been a lie. How sad,” Alexis whispered. She looked at Abidos with pity.

“You mean, you never really dueled?” Jaden questioned.

“I-I guess not,” Abidos realized. He looked at Jaden, sadness clear in his eyes.

“Then let’s start your first lesson RIGHT NOW!” Abidos looked at Jaden confused. “You heard me! Now stand up and get your game on! Again,” Jaden proclaimed.

Abidos rose to his feet and stood straight, with his shoulders squared back. He met Jaden’s gaze square on and brought up his disk to continue the duel. Jaden held out a hand to stop him, and he lowered his arm.

“But if this is going to be your first REAL duel, then let’s do it right. Take off and ditch that mask!” Jaden sounded serious and eager.

Abidos lifted his hand and took off the gold mask. When he did, he revealed his youthful face. He had smokey gray eyes and long black lashes. It actually made Alexis a little jealous that he looked cuter than her… on the other hand… he was really cute. Atticus looked at his sister and shook his head. No matter how mature she was, she was still a teenage girl. And this guy definitely caught her attention.

Abidos smiled at Jaden. “Jaden, just promise me, you’ll give it your best. I want to see what a real duel is like.”

“Hey I always play to win. So let’s go!”

The duel picked back up and they noticed something disconcerting. Abidos was actually a good duelist when he wanted to be. He had an analytical mind and could calculate on the spot. He started to back Jaden into a corner, causing the others to tense up again. Annoyance and need to smack sense into the Slifer rose in all of them.

“Leave it Jaden to pep talk a Shadow Rider!” Alexis bit out.

“No joke! Bad idea! What was he thinking?” Chazz demanded.

Abidos grinned at them as Jaden sank to his knees from the zombie’s attacks. He lost 1200 points, even though his monster survived. He shook, trying to force his body to stand up. He glared at Abidos, who smiled benevolently back.

“And there’s more, I still have Spirit Pharaoh himself. Now attack his Sparkman!”

The Spirit Pharaoh launched and took another 900 points from Jaden’s lifepoints. He was now down to 1000. Abidos grinned at him and played a spell card that by sacrificing one of his monsters, the attack points were added to his lifepoints, that took him back up to 3700. At the end of his turn, the Zombie Servants were destroyed, the way things looked, it didn’t matter.

“Even though all my servant monster cards were destroyed at the end of the turn, with the way your lifepoints look, it was worth it! My record shall stand!” He looked confused at Jaden who started laughing for no reason. “What’s so funny? You know you are about to lose your soul and your key?”

“Hmm, not yet!” Jaden countered. “I just need one good draw, and here it comes!” Drawing a card, he nodded at it with a smile. 

Abidos raised an eyebrow as Jaden turned the duel around. He played a multi spell card that allowed him to summon all his Elemental Heroes and they attacked Abidos directly. When Abidos saw it coming, he cringed. Sinking to his knees once more, his lifepoints hit zero. Jaden smiled and clicked his duel disk shut.

“That was a sweet game Abidos! You have some serious moves!” Jaden said with excitement as he walked up to the kneeling Pharaoh. “You alright?”

“I used to think I was the best duelist of all time. But now I know, that title belongs to you, and I could learn a lot from you in order to be worthy of my title...” Abidos stood up and gripped Jaden’s hands. “I was thinking you could come back with me. I would give you fame, power, riches… anything your heart desires.” Abidos’s eyes twinkled with the thought.

Jaden took a small step back and a sweatdrop rolled down his face. He wasn’t sure what to say. “Uh, nice offer?” he tried.

“Sweet! No more Jaden!” Chazz exclaimed. It was a knee jerk reaction. While he DID consider Jaden a friend, that little bit of needing payback was still there.

Syrus tapped the black haired duelist on the shoulder and waited until their eyes met. “Chazz,” Syrus said in a sing-song voice. “If Jaden leaves you will be rooming with Chumley and me. Is that REALLY what you want?” Syrus used his most innocent voice.

Stepping back in fear, Chazz had actually forgotten that Syrus was plotting revenge on him and Jaden for Banner’s class today. He whipped around, ready to beg Jaden to stay, to take the brunt of Syrus’s wrath.

“Sounds nice, but I kind of like it here. But hey, if you are ever in my hood, drop me a line alright? I’m always game for rematches.” Jaden smiled at Abidos in apology.

“Sounds wonderful.”

He ordered his servants to bring them down and allow the Key Keepers off. When Jaden went to leave, Abidos offered him a gold headband, to remember him by. Jaden eagerly accepted it and jumped from the gold ship to stand with his friends. They all watched as the ship was absorbed into a golden light once more, leaving the sky dark again.

“You know Abidos wasn’t such a bad guy. I mean look what he gave me.” Jaden said twirling it around his fingers as he led the way back to the dorms.

Atticus walked up to him and smacked the back of his head. Jaden yelped and looked at him in confusion. He won, why was Atticus hitting him. Leaning down, the Obelisk got eye to eye with the Slifer. Jaden gulped and backed up.

“You need to learn when the appropriate time for a pep talk is Jaden. You got lucky this time, but next time you might not. I mean it. The two duels you had, you got lucky. Had Zane not come to his senses, you would have lost that duel, even you admitted that. Now with Abidos, your little pep talk was good for his self esteem, but could have been bad for the fate of the world.” Atticus held Jaden’s gaze making sure he understood.

“Yeah, I get it Atticus. I will be careful from now on,” Jaden said solemnly. Atticus was right, he needed to watch it. They were dealing with the fate of the world here.

Once that was out of the way the five teens began walking back to their dorms. None of them noticed Professor Banner standing on top of the hill smiling down at them. “Yes, Jaden, soon you and the rest will face your true test.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this one was long. In the anime it annoyed me how Syrus got roped into detention because of what Chazz and Jaden were doing. So here, he will getting some payback. What do you all think of this? And next chapter something huge happens! Any predictions. As always, thoughts, questions and comments welcome. Enjoy!


	24. How To Play Your Cards

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR: HOW TO PLAY YOUR CARDS

Syrus was in a cheerful mood today, as he walked next to Chumley. He had managed to get a portion of his payback taken care of pertaining to Chazz and Jaden. Currently the two of them were walking next to each other, with their jackets sewn together. They were glaring at him, but he ignored them. That is what they got for taking his time away from his big brother.

Walking up to where the Rhodes siblings were standing, all four of them waved and Atticus as well as Alexis got their first good look at Jaden and Chazz. Alexis raised her eyebrows and pursed her lips to stop from laughing. Atticus on the other hand, didn’t care and barked out a laugh. Jaden and Chazz looked at them and grumbled under their breath.

“So what happened to you two?” Alexis asked, coughing to cover up a laugh.

“Syrus sewed all of our jackets together. ALL of them. We woke up this morning and he was smiling gleefully at us. We went to get dressed and he threw all of our jackets at us, saying that we could be joined at the hip today,” Chazz said. He glared balefully at Syrus.

“Hey, I could have done so much worse to the both of you. You got me in trouble yesterday and I missed out on time with my brother,” Syrus said haughtily. 

The group laughed at the expense of the two Slifers who were on the receiving end of Syrus’s wrath. Truthfully, Syrus had been creative. No one expected him to do that, and what a punishment it was. Chazz and Jaden may be friends, but there was constant bickering and now they were literally ‘attached at the hip’.

Atticus doubled over and laughed so hard, his eyes started to water. Alexis looked at him and smiled. She was glad to see her brother laughing, all the weight he was carrying lately was turning him into someone he wasn’t. Atticus was the optimistic, glass half full type and full of energy. Lately he became the overly mature and somber type. It just didn’t sit well with her.

“Well, were you two like that all day?” Atticus asked as he straightened. Everyone looked at him and noticed that he dashed his eyes to catch the stray droplets. His face was flushed and a large smile was still plastered on his face.

“Sure were. Syrus won’t let us out of this. He said that if we tried to get out of the jackets today… there would be something worse in store for us,” Jaden said with a gulp. Chazz shuddered next to him.

“So how long do you plan on leaving them like that Sy?” Atticus asked.

“Just until they learn their lesson. I don’t care that my brother was sleeping last night, they didn’t know that when they got me in trouble. So they are going to stay like that…” Syrus looked at the two over his shoulder. “Until I say so.” 

The look he gave them reminded Atticus so much of Zane. It was a look that could freeze anyone in their tracks and make them think twice about what they were doing. It seemed to have the same effect when the younger Truesdale used it as well. Jaden and Chazz gulped and nodded their heads. With Sy’s creativity this time around, Atticus was sure they wanted to avoid whatever else he might have up his sleeves.

Suddenly, Syrus smiled innocently. He looked at everyone and waved. “I am heading to the infirmary. Classes are done for the day, and I want to see my brother.” With that he turned on his heels and took off down the hall.

“You would never know a mastermind lurked deep inside him,” Chazz muttered.

“No joke,” Jaden added.

“It must run in the family,” Atticus pointed out. Everyone looked at him. “Zane had a diabolical mind as well. His was more strategic though, but you still never messed with him. Yusuke and I played a prank on him when we first became friends… let’s just say he returned the favor tenfold. We learned to never do it again.” Atticus gave a shudder.

Suddenly a loud crash of thunder and a flash of lightning lit up the sky. Everyone jumped and looked out the wide window before them. Rain started pelting the windows and everyone groaned. They were going to have to trek back to their dorms in the storm, and no one had an umbrella. There was no mention of storms today.

“Well we better head back and hunker down in the dorms for the night.” Atticus waved to the group as he stepped away. “See ya tomorrow.”

Everyone split off to make their way to the respective dorms and to brave the elements. Atticus was full of glee walking in the rain. He enjoyed it, Alexis on the other hand was running trying to get to her dorm as fast as possible. Chazz and Jaden had mastered moving in sync halfway through the day, they hurried to the dorm, with Chumley trailing behind them. Chazz decided he would go in Jaden’s room, since they were soaking wet. No sense getting his room soaked.

Syrus made it to the infirmary just before the rain started. When the first clap of thunder struck he squeaked and jumped. He was never a fan of thunder and usually hid under his blankets when it got this bad. Sucking in a breath, he walked into the infirmary and noticed the lights were dimmed. He looked around and saw his brother lying on his back, breathing evenly.

He walked over and pulled a chair. Looking down, he saw his eyes squeezed shut and his mouth turned down. His teal hair was fanned out on the white pillow, and the white sheet was pulled up to below his shoulders. He had on a black high neck shirt that could be seen where the sheet ended. Syrus sat down, and reached out to touch his forehead. It was slightly warm, so Syrus moved to grasp a hand.

“Oh you came.” Nurse Fontaine said as she rounded the corner. Syrus looked at her and then back to his brother. “I’m sorry Syrus, he said the migraine was really bad for the second day in a row. I think this storm is also playing havoc on him. So I gave him some medicine and he went right to sleep.”

“Could this be causing more damage?” Syrus asked worriedly. Zane had been trying to force his memories for the last couple of months, before any of them could convince him to let it happen naturally.

“Well, I can’t be sure. He may have these migraines for the rest of his life or it may just be a byproduct of what he went through. Only time will tell, but at least he now is willing to ask for something when he needs it.” Nurse Fontaine gave a smile. She ran a hand over her hair and down the front of her white and blue dress.

“Is it alright if I just stay here for a bit? Or at least until the storm passes?” Syrus asked pleadingly.

Nurse Fontaine smiled. “Of course Syrus. You never cause a disruption, feel free to stay as long as you want.” With that she turned and left the brothers in peace.

“Five Shadow Riders down, and only two are left.” Syrus looked at Zane sleeping. “None of the ones we met so far had any answers regarding my brother and his missing memories. I hope the last two will have the answers I need. I want my brother back, the way he used to be. The one I idolized,” Syrus thought. He closed his eyes with a small smile as a memory came to mind.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Syrus was waiting outside the school for his big brother. He was so excited, Zane promised they would spend the afternoon looking at Duel Monsters cards. Today was a half day for students, and the weather was warm and sunny. Syrus looked toward the doors as students started filling out. Light blue eyes widened with happiness when he saw his brother.

Zane was walking alone, he wore the traditional navy uniform jacket and pants. His high neck black shirt could be seen peeking out from the jacket. Teal hair brushed his jacket’s collar and his eyes scanned the area. Once they connected with Syrus, he smiled faintly and made his way to his little brother. He was carrying a black bag in his left hand, it held all his school work and textbooks he needed for the night.

“You sure look eager Syrus,” Zane said in his usual cool tone.

Syrus nodded his head like a bobble doll, his childish energy had him bouncing up and down. His yellow jacket flounced with him. “Of course I am big bro! You promised me we would look at Duel Monster cards today.”

Zane smiled and placing a hand on Syrus’s head, ruffled his spiky blue hair. Syrus pouted for a moment, but then grinned. He grasped Zane’s hand and pulled him in the direction of the shops and park. His brother rarely had time to do much with him, so he was taking full advantage. Zane shook his head, but the small smile never left his face. It appeared as if that smile was reserved solely for Syrus.

The brothers walked down the strip of small shops. Walking in, Syrus looked at the cases of cards and would ask Zane for an explanation on certain ones. Zane would casually explain what each card was, what it did and how to use it. Syrus soaked up the information like a sponge. His brother was an amazing duelist, and he wanted to be just like him.

A few hours later they ended up at the park. Zane bought Syrus a small ice cream cone and he was eagerly licking it. Zane sat with his face resting on his palms, looking at his younger brother. When Syrus was done, and cleaned himself up, he looked at his brother with questions in his light blue eyes.

“What is it?” Syrus asked nervously.

“I have something for you,” Zane responded. He leaned down and pulled up his bag. Opening the top flap, he reached in the first compartment. He pulled out a Duel Monsters card. Syrus stared at it with wide eyes. “This is for you. You are still using machine type monsters right?”

“Yeah! I love my Roid deck!” Syrus exclaimed and eagerly grasped the card. He flipped it over and looked at it. It was a spell card to fuse machine type monsters. “Powerbond?”

Zane smiled and went back to leaning on his hand. “Yes, this card allows you to summon a machine type fusion monster. It also doubles said monsters attack points.” His eyes became ice. “However it has a nasty side effect. At the end of the turn, unless you win the duel, you take damage equal to your monster’s original attack points. You need to know when and how to PLAY it, Syrus. This card is powerful and can be your ace, but know when the right time to play it is,” Zane cautioned.

Syrus smiled at the card. “Don’t you have the same card?” he asked, looking at his brother.

Zane smiled and reached into his bag to pull out his deck. He flipped through it and showed Syrus his Powerbond card. “This card is one of my aces. It allows me to summon Cyber End Dragon. With Cyber End’s attack points doubled to 8000 I usually never have to worry because even with my opponent’s monster in defense mode, the difference between Cyber End’s attack points and that monster’s defense points are dealt to my opponent as damage.”

Zane reverently touched Cyber End Dragon. Syrus looked at the card, his brother never let anyone touch it. He snapped once at Syrus for trying to touch it, but he at least apologized later. After putting his card back into his deck, Zane slid the deck back into his bag. He smiled at Syrus and motioned for him to stand up. Syrus jumped up from the bench and clung to Zane’s side, with a yawn.

The older brother looked down and saw Syrus’s eyes starting to droop. Shaking his head in fond exasperation, Zane kneeled down and helped his younger brother climb on his back. Once he was settled, Zane grabbed his bag and began walking home. Syrus closed his eyes in contentment, rubbing his cheek on Zane’s shoulder.

“You’re the best big brother,” Syrus mumbled.

Zane looked at him, and his eyes softened. “I wish I could be better Sy. But if you think that, then who am I to correct you. Rest up, you had a lot of excitement today. I’ll get us home.”

Syrus fell asleep on his brother’s back, feeling on top of the world. His brother gave him such a powerful card and entrusted him to use it correctly.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Syrus opened his eyes with a smile. That was one of the last times they had together before the rift started to form. Zane had scolded him pretty harshly for only knowing how to USE Powerbond, not how to PLAY it. At the time, Syrus had been crushed. His big brother, hid idol had tore him down and apart for misusing it. Later, after Zane disappeared, Syrus looked back on the memory. Zane had good intentions, it stopped him from being hurt by the bully he was dueling. However the unintended consequences were Syrus had massive confidence problems.

Atticus and Jaden were the big reasons Syrus was growing so much as a duelist. He now knew the difference between knowing how to use and knowing how to play it. They really are totally different things. When Syrus realized it, he made a vow, a vow that he would show Zane just how strong of a duelist he had become. That he not only knows how to use his cards, but play them as well.

“You miss him, don’t you?” a dark voice said. Syrus snapped his head to the side, he recognized that voice! “But there is a way to get him back.”

“What do you want?” Syrus demanded. 

His voice rose an octave, causing Zane to twitch. Zane started to open his eyes, his sight was a little blurry. Syrus didn’t even notice as he stood up. There was a floating black mass in the room, and Syrus was glaring at it.

“Come with me, and I’ll give Zane back all his memories. All you have to do is defeat me in a duel. At the place where we first met, The Abandoned Dorm,” the dark voice said.

The image of Titan, appeared behind Syrus and clamped his big arms around Syrus’s small frame. Zane’s eyes snapped open as he jerked up in the bed. His hand snapping out to reach for Syrus, to pull him back. Zane’s eyes widened in panic, what was going on?

“W-What, who was that? What’s going on here?” he gasped.

He tried to force himself out of the bed, unfortunately he wasn’t too steady on his feet and he ended up falling to the floor. He lay face down, head throbbing and even worse, knowing his brother was in trouble but couldn’t do anything about it. He moved his head to the side and tried to force himself up. He only made it partially up, before he collapsed back, his head resting on his arms.

“Damn it,” he cursed under his breath.

A warm, golden glow seeped from his pocket and he glanced at it. He hoped somehow Cyber End Dragon could help. His eyes slid shut and he succumbed to darkness.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Loud banging on the door woke Jaden up. He glanced to the side and saw Winged Kuriboh, he chirped in Jaden’s ear and pointed a claw at the door. The Slifer kept his eyes at half mast, too tired to actually do anything.

“No wake, must sleep more,” Jaden slurred. The banging intensified and Jaden yanked his blanket over his head, letting out a scream of frustration.

“Ok, ok I’m coming,” Chumley muttered.

The older Slifer opened the door and immediately stumbled back in shock, with a yelp of fright. Jaden was wide awake instantly. He looked to the door and saw Chazz in his usual black attire. The two of them managed to separate one set of their jackets from one another. They didn’t look pretty, but it was done. His face was drawn and he looked exhausted.

“What’s with you?!” Jaden exclaimed.

“No sleep. Did you hear the news, Jaden?” Chazz snapped out.

Jaden noticed the three Ojama Brothers hovering around Chazz’s shoulders. The look of concern on all three of them had Jaden perking right up. He looked to Winged Kuriboh for explanation. As he listened, Jaden felt his heart stop. He jumped up from the bunk and looked to the one directly above him. It was empty! Syrus never came back.

Immediately throwing off his sleep uniform, he looked to Chazz. “Give me five minutes and we will go!”

Chumley looked confused between them, but also started to change. Whatever was going on, must be bad if Jaden was up and going so quickly.

“I will call Atticus and Alexis. We should probably alert Crowler as well,” Chazz said. He turned around and pulled out his Duel Link and sent a massive message.

Minutes later all the Slifers were dashing through the empty halls of the school. The rain let up, however the thunder and lightning continued in force. A flash of lightning lit up the hallway and showed three figures standing in front of the infirmary.

“Anything?” Jaden grit out.

“There’s no sign. It’s like he just vanished,” Atticus spat out. His blood pressure was up from this. The fact that he woke up to a message saying Syrus was missing nearly sent him into cardiac arrest.

“I don’t understand. It’s not like Syrus to wander off like that,” Alexis pointed out. Her gold eyes were full of concern. “Maybe Zane has an idea?”

The others nodded their heads and opened the door to the infirmary. The sight they all saw, took them by surprise and nearly sent Atticus into a frenzy. Zane was lying on the ground, eyes closed and shaking.

“Zane!” everyone exclaimed at the same time.

Atticus shot forward and knelt down beside him. Pulling Zane against his chest, he helped steady him. He wrapped his arms around his chest and held him tight. He could feel the tremors running through Zane’s thin frame.

“Dear me. Is he alright?” Dr. Crowler questioned. He leaned down and looked closely at Zane.

“What happened?” Jaden asked. He knelt in front of the older Truesdale.

Zane opened his eyes slightly and everyone could see the pain in their depths. Sweat was running down his face and he grit his teeth. “It was him… T-Ti...tan,” Zane managed to grit out.

“‘It was Titan’? Who is Titan?” Jaden questioned. He looked around the room at the others.

Zane squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head slightly. Atticus felt him shaking more and tightened his hold. He hoped this was not putting him under even more pressure, but they needed to know where Syrus was. Something was clearly happening and, once again, only Zane had the answers. Atticus placed a gentle hand on top of Zane’s head and ran it down his hair.

“Talk to us Zane. Take a breath and talk to us,” he whispered soothingly. Praying that would help, to do anything to ease the pain that was written clear on his face.

No one standing there noticed Dr. Crowler take an involuntary step backwards. He remembered the name of the Shadow Duelist he hired to scare Jaden months ago… and he forgot to pay him! To top it off, he now abducted another student, this was not going to end well for him. His eyes slid to Zane, who was trying to force himself away from Atticus, and Atticus who was keeping a firm hold on him.

“Zane, talk to us. What happened? Where is Syrus?” Atticus tried again.

“Abandoned Dorm.” Zane tried taking a deep breath, even though his heart felt like it was going to explode. “He said to meet in the… place where they first met…” Zane clenched his eyes shut and a hand went to his chest.

“That’s it,” Atticus snapped. Zane clearly wasn’t in any shape to try and answer questions. He was feeling overly protective over him at the moment. “We have information, let me get Zane back in the bed and we will head out-” he broke off when Zane squeezed his arm. Glancing down, he noticed his friend was looking at him with pleading teal eyes and shaking his head. “You can’t be serious.”

Everyone looked at him, wondering what he was talking about. Jaden seemed to clue in first and he rose up. Reaching for the white jacket hanging on the hook he pulled it off. He shook it out and looked at Atticus.

“Odds are he will just try to get there on his own anyway. Might as well bring him with us, that way we can at least keep an eye on him,” Jaden said.

Atticus sighed, but had to concede Jaden was right. Zane was stubborn as a mule and he would find a way there, even if it killed him. Sucking in a breath, he slid his hands under Zane’s arms and stood up taking his friend with him. Zane sucked in a breath, and held it for a moment. Atticus kept a tight arm around his waist and motioned for Jaden to help get his jacket on. Once the jacket was on, Atticus gripped one of Zane’s arms and pulled it across his shoulders. Jaden moved to the other side and did the same.

“Let’s get to the Abandoned Dorm,” Jaden said. Everyone nodded and made their way out.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Syrus felt his mind clear as he blinked his vision clear. He looked around and noticed he was back in the basement of the Abandoned Dorm. He sucked in a breath and felt his stomach clench. When he heard dark laughter he narrowed his light colored eyes at the person making the sound.

“So we duel and then you restore ALL of my brother’s memories. That’s the deal!” Syrus exclaimed.

He was so furious, this guy taunts him about Zane not remembering anything and then drags him to the Abandoned Dorm. To top it off, this was the perfect shot for revenge. He knocked Syrus out and used him as bait to lure Jaden into a duel. He couldn’t remember much about it, but he remembered hearing some of the duel while he was unconscious. That was also the night he saw his brother for the first time since his disappearance.

“Well, your end of the deal at least. However if I win, I get something too… your Spirit Key and your soul. I get to take those back to the Shadow Realm. You see when we first met, I was but a Charlatan of the Shadows. But since being taken in by them, I am the real deal.” He kicked the duel disk across the way to Syrus. The young duelist looked at the disk and glared back to Titan. “An authentic Shadow Rider. Let us begin!” Titan clicked open his own duel disk.

“There they are!” Alexis’s voice echoed through the room.

Syrus looked over to see everyone running up. Zane was being supported by Atticus and Jaden. His pale face was drawn and he looked to Syrus with worry in his eyes. Syrus met the eyes of the person he admired most, and felt his resolve strengthen tenfold.

“They’re going to duel!” Chumley exclaimed. He was worried about Syrus, and the guy he was dueling was not stable.

“And how! Syrus we’re here for you. Now show this creep that you don’t mess with us!” Jaden yelled out in encouragement.

“Ah, so this isn’t about collecting that check,” Crowler muttered, relieved. 

However Chazz was standing right next to him and heard every word. Chazz raised his dark eyebrows and turned his head to look at the teacher. “What check? What does that mean?” he demanded.

Crowler started sweating and laughed nervously. Running a trembling hand over his jacket, he shook his head. “Oh… oh nothing!” Crowler said. Everyone looked at him suspiciously.

Syrus slid his duel disk on and looked at Zane one more time. Their eyes met and Syrus nodded his head in determination. “Alright big bro, this one’s for you!” he thought.

Titan and Syrus turned to face one another and clicked their disks open. “Duel!” the exclaimed together.

“I’ll start,” Syrus said. He drew his card and looked at it. This duel, everything was at stake. He couldn’t afford to lose. “I summon Srikeroid, in attack mode.” A little fighter plane appeared on the field with 1600 points registering. “Then I also play a facedown and end my turn.”

Syrus stood straight and proud as he stared down Titan. The older Shadow Duelist looked at the child in front of him and wondered why he was chosen as a Key Keeper. But he wasn’t going to lick a gift horse in the mouth, this would be an easy win. And Hell Kaiser would remain in the dark.

“Then I summon Picador Fiend in attack mode.” The evil monster appeared with 1600 points. “Next I activate the magic of Banner of Courage, giving my monster an additional 200 attack points during my battle phase. Now Picador Fiend, attack Strikeroid.”

The dark monster did as it’s master commanded, with the Banner of Courage, it’s attack points rose to 1800. Syrus grit his teeth and looked to his facedown. Smirking, he knew his plan would work.

“I activate my facedown: Support Mission. It activates when you attack one of my roid monsters, I can now add one from my deck to my hand.” The attack then destroyed Strikeroid. Syrus grit his teeth and glared at Titan. “Thanks for that, now I can activate Strikeroid’s special effect. By paying 800 points I can bring him back to my hand.” Syrus looked down and knew his plan was coming to fruition.

Titan raised his eyebrows. This kid just sacrificed lifepoints to get a weak monster back. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. But he wasn’t going to spend too much energy thinking about it. “I place a facedown and end my turn.”

“What is Syrus doing?” Chazz spat out. He looked at Syrus concerned. Everyone looked at him, wondering what he was talking about. “He loses 200 lifepoints from that attack and then expends 800 more to pull the monster back to his hand. That was 1000 lifepoints at the start. He does know he has to WIN right?” Chazz questioned.

Jaden looked at Chazz and shook his head. “Syrus knows exactly what he’s doing. This duel carries more weight for him than just the fate of the world. This duel is for Zane, he won’t be taking chances if he didn’t have a plan in his mind,” Jaden defended. He knew Syrus would do anything to win here tonight, so he believed that his best friend had a larger plan.

“I summon Stealthroid in defense mode!” Syrus’s monster appeared in front of him with 2000 defense points. Everyone smiled. Even with his spell card Titan didn’t have enough power to get through. Syrus blew out a breath.

Titan was growing more and more confused. He drew his card, and looked at his hand. There was nothing worth playing this time. He looked to the short boy in front of him. “I place one card facedown and end my turn.”

Syrus looked his facedown and became worried. He drew his card and smiled. “I summon Submarieroid in attack mode. And with his special ability, Submarineroid can go covert and by sneaking past your monsters, attack you directly! But before that, I play Mystical Space Typhoon, to destroy your facedown!”

Titan staggered back. His facedown was destroyed in a blast of wind and Syrus was grinning. Submarineroid was borrowing underground and headed straight for Titan. The Shadow Duelist didn’t even have time to brace himself. The submarine shot out of the ground and fired the torpedo at Titan. With one blast, 800 points of damage were dealt. Titan took a couple steps back and rubbed his stomach.

“And now, his other special ability activates. To protect my lifepoints, he switches to defense mode.” His monster did just that and 1200 defense points flashed. “I place one card facedown and end my turn.”

The spectators were stunned. Syrus managed to pull off a pretty powerful combo. Jaden and Atticus shared a smile. They knew Syrus had been growing as a duelist, and this was proof of that. Atticus felt like a proud brother at the moment, he glanced at Zane. He knew Zane would be proud. The older Truesdale had not taken his eyes off Syrus.

Zane was staring at the duel happening in front of him. It felt as if something in his mind cracked a little bit. A flash of warmth seeped into his mind, easing the pain which had been his constant companion. An image flashed in his mind, it was of him and Syrus. They were little kids and laying on their stomachs with a large book in front of them. Syrus was grinning and pointing at something, Zane had a small smile on his face, looking at Syrus.

He sucked in a breath and Atticus looked at him. Zane shook his head and kept looking at the duel. Syrus managed to get another hit on Titan with Submarineroid. The older Truesdale was finding himself impressed, Syrus was truly a good duelist. However it looked like Titan had a trick up his sleeve that no one foresaw.

“I activate the field spell Dark Arena!” Suddenly the entire circle Titan and Syrus were dueling in, was encased in darkness. No one could see anything.

“What happened? What the hell is that?” Atticus snapped out.

“I can’t see anything!” Jaden exclaimed. 

“Someone should go in there. Someone OTHER than me of course,” Crowler said. He took a small step back.

Zane narrowed his eyes, a sickening feeling settling in his gut. His heart and head throbbed in tandem. He looked at the darkness of the arena, trying to see Syrus through the black mass.

“Grilled cheese, I am eating a big triple deck of it,” Chumley chanted to himself, standing next to Jaden.

Chazz looked at Jaden with concern. “Jaden, you took this guy on right? Tell Syrus how to get out of this!”

“I wish I could, but he’s different this time. The guy I dueled was a sham,” Jaden said dejectedly. The Shadow Charm around his neck was glowing bright.

“I concur, I don’t know why I ever hired him,” Crowler said without thinking.

Atticus froze, he slowly turned his head to Crowler. The teacher quickly realized his mistake and took a step back. Atticus looked at Alexis and motioned her over. She took his position and pulled Zane’s arm across her shoulders. He looked at her and then at Atticus. The older Rhodes was not paying attention. He was instead advancing on Crowler.

“You… did… WHAT?!” Atticus yelled. His brown eyes blazed with furry and he clenched his fists. “Do you even realize that Syrus was innocent in that whole thing? Titan used him to get to Jaden, all because you had too much damn pride!” Atticus crouched down and launched at Crowler taking him to the ground and began shaking him back and forth harshly. His grip tight around Crowler’s collar, cursing him the entire time.

Zane looked over and tried to move, but Alexis and Jaden stopped him. He looked at them and raised an eyebrow. Alexis shook her head and tightened her grip on Zane’s wrist. Her gold eyes looked closely at the person who her brother loved.

“Let him get it out of his system. His temper was famous for a reason. It took a lot to get him this mad, but when he did, it was never pretty. You used to be able to calm him down, but, for now let him get it out,” Alexis said soothingly. She didn’t want Zane getting wound up too.

All of a sudden the dark arena began to crackle with purple lightning. Everyone froze looking at it. Jaden’s Shadow Charm lit up even more, he reached a hand down and grabbed it. Looking back up he clenched his teeth and narrowed his eyes in worry.

“Man, I hope Sy is ok in there,” Jaden murmured.

“Don’t worry Syrus, at least your brother won’t remember you failed him!” Titan’s voice could be heard laughing from the darkness.

Atticus stood up, leaving a shaken Crowler on the ground. He moved back to Zane and Alexis relinquished her hold on him. Atticus slid Zane’s arm back around his shoulders and slid an arm around his waist. He looked worriedly at the darkness. Syrus was good, but anyone can make one mistake and the cost of this duel was too high.

All of a sudden, the arena began to electrify again. The purple lightning was everywhere, and Zane had enough. He needed to get in there. Moving his arm away from Jaden, he tried reaching for the darkness. It was just barely out of his reach, and he strained harder. The need to get in there and get Syrus out was coursing through him. Atticus noticed and took a step back, taking Zane with him. He didn’t want Zane anywhere near this darkness.

“I know it’s tough Zane. But you need to believe in Syrus. He will pull this through, he has spoken of nothing else but showing you how he has grown,” Atticus tried to placate him. However Atticus was worried as well.

In the darkness Syrus sank to his knees. He was down to his last 500 lifepoints. Pain unlike any other was running through his body. He had heard about the pain of Shadow Games from others, and he remembered feeling the pain Zane endured from the visions. But this was unlike anything he felt before. It felt as if he didn’t have the strength to continue with this. He fell face first into the dirt and lay there for a moment.

“That’s right stay down. You can’t win, you don’t know how to use your cards. It’s pathetic to think about. Hell Kaiser’s little brother is such a disappointment. He was the true Kaiser of the shadows, you are nothing,” Titan taunted the young teen.

“Syrus! Syrus, you can’t give up,” Zane called out. Syrus opened his eyes and looked to the side. He still couldn’t see anything, but he heard Zane calling him. “You can win this. You learned the difference. You are starting to see dueling on that different level. You don’t think, you just act.” Zane repeated to him what he said before.

Right before Zane vanished, Syrus asked him what the difference between knowing how to use a card and knowing how to play it were. Zane gave a cryptic answer and nodded his head to Syrus. It took two more years, but he learned the difference. Syrus snapped his eyes wide. Zane was right! He did know the difference, and best of all Titan DIDN’T. Titan spoke about USING his cards, not PLAYING them.

“Can’t stop. Need to win, not just for me, or the world… but for my brother!” Syrus exclaimed. He forced himself to his feet and glared at Titan.

“What the? What is this?” Titan demanded. He was sure he had the kid on his knees.

“THIS is my turn!” Syrus drew his card and closed his eyes tightly, praying it was the card he needed. Slowly opening his eyes, he looked down. Elation swept through him, he drew Powerbond! “Now that I have my ace card you are done. You made a big mistake with me. Something you didn’t take into consideration is the fact that you only know how to use your cards. I, on the other hand, know how to play them. And that is why you will lose!”

“Please, who taught you something as stupid as that? You beloved older brother? He couldn’t care less,” Titan scoffed.

“Well we shall just see. I play the spell card Twin Twisters. By discarding one card in my hand, I can destroy two of your spells. So that means both your facedown and Dark Arena go bye bye,” Syrus said with a smirk.

The darkness around them began to dissipate. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief to see Syrus standing and looking like he was turning it around. Zane straightened up and moved his arm from around Atticus’s shoulders. Atticus looked at his friend and his eyes widened. Zane’s gaze was starting to clear… with Syrus turning the duel around whatever was blocking his memories was breaking down. They were almost there.

“That’s not all. With the roid on my field and the two in my hand, I can fuse them together to create Solidroid Alpha! By sending them to the graveyard, using the spell card Powerbond,my ultimate monster is summoned.” The three roids shot into the air and collided, fusing together. Everyone looked up, and Zane smiled.

“You finally figured it out Syrus,” he murmured.

“And the best part is that thanks to Powerbond’s special effect, my Solidroid Alpha’s attack points are doubled. Taking it’s attacks points from 2600 to 5200. I also activate my monster’s effect, for one turn I can add the attack points of one of your monsters to mine. And I chose Picador Fiend, so that’s an extra 1600 points, making the grand total 6800,” Syrus bragged.

“What? NO!” Titan yelled.

“Go Solidroid Alpha attack Picador Fiend. Let’s end this for Zane! Solid Beam!” Syrus exclaimed and slashed his arm towards the opposing monster. Syrus’s roid monster did as directed and with one move, Syrus won the duel.

Titan’s lifepoints hit zero and he sank to the ground. As he did, it was as if a flood gate opened in Zane’s mind. All his memories came rushing back. He staggered for a moment, and Atticus tightened his grip around Zane’s waist. Zane closed his eyes and put a hand to his temple. All the memories came at once, it was almost overwhelming. Opening his teal eyes, he looked at Syrus standing there, clicking his disk closed.

Syrus looked over and what he saw brought tears to his eyes. Zane was looking at him, just like he used to. A small smile pulled at the corner of his lips and he nodded his head at Syrus. The younger’s eyes widened and he launched at his older brother. Atticus let go and stepped back, just in time for Syrus to launch at Zane and grip him tightly.

He clamped his arms around Zane’s waist and buried his head in his brother’s chest. Zane shook his head in exasperation, but he wrapped his arms around Syrus as well. Everyone let the brothers have a moment, before Chazz suggested they get out here.

Once they made their way outside, Syrus once again wrapped himself around his brother. Zane looked at him, and the ice in gaze melted slightly. He hugged Syrus back and everyone stared. The scene was so touching, and it was a long time coming.

“You’re really back? You remember?” Syrus stuttered out with happy tears streaking down his face.

Zane pulled Syrus back and looked him in the face. The small smile that seemed to be only for Syrus was on his face. It was all the confirmation Syrus needed.

“Yeah, thanks to you Sy. You really did learn the difference between playing and using your cards. I am so proud of you, I really am,” Zane said somberly.

“But how did you end up in the Shadow Realm? Titan said you were the Kaiser of the Shadows there. What happened?” Syrus asked. His gaze never moved from Zane’s face.

“Believe me, it was not of my own will that I ended up there. One day, a group of us were told to meet in the basement here.” Zane looked at the building behind them. He then turned his eyes back to Syrus. “We were told there was a duel test. However, when we got to the basement, there were thousands of the little shadow creatures. They converged on us and we had no chance.” Zane closed his eyes and cringed. “For months they held us in the darkness, forcing us to duel and using magic to brainwash us. Once I was the last one left, they took me to the Shadow Realm. There I was forced to go against Camula, Tania and the Dark Scorpions.”

He looked away in shame for a moment and Syrus hugged Zane again. “Jaden and I saw visions. We saw that duel with Camula where you wanted the pain to stop, you were willing to do anything and that meant using the mask,” Syrus said quietly.

“Yeah, I put the mask on and I had no choice from then on. I felt as if I was a passenger in my own body. Watching as I did things to others.” He looked at Jaden for a brief moment, before his attention was back on Syrus. “I never wanted to hurt you or your friends. I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for Zane. But I have one question. Who was holding you captive in the shadows? Who hurt you?” Syrus questioned.

Zane shook his head sadly. “I never saw who it was. Only heard the voice, but there is something disconcerting. The person who ordered the duel test and messaged us to be there… well it was Professor Banner.”

The dropped bomb was met with a stiff silence. The sounds of breath being sucked in and nothing else was heard. Everyone looked at one another not sure how to process this disturbing news. Professor Banner was eccentric, but cared about all the students… or so they thought.

Atticus felt the blood leave his face. Banner DID show up right after Zane was found and tried to see him. Atticus had stopped him, was Banner there to make sure Zane never revealed anything? Syrus was the first to break and he reached out and clung to Zane’s arm. He squeezed his eyes shut and refused to let go.

“We need to report this to Chancellor Sheppard,” Crowler said. He looked like he had survived a hurricane after Atticus was finished with him.

They all nodded their heads and started walking back to the main building. Halfway there, Syrus stumbled and Zane stopped him. Kneeling down, he motioned for Syrus to get on his back. Smiling gleefully Syrus climbed on Zane’s back, just like he used to do. Wrapping his arms and legs around his brother, Syrus felt at peace for the first time in two years.

He had his brother back, both physically and mentally. Everything else could wait, just for a bit longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I went on a writing binge with this chapter. I drew inspiration from the manga for this duel actually. Since not too many of Syrus's wins were shown, I went with one of his best duels in the manga. So his monsters came from that and I used some creative liberties here. I am really glad how this turned out, I wanted Syrus to have his moment to shine. Here he got to be the hero and save his brother. What did you all think? Also what did you guys think of Syrus's revenge on Chazz and Jaden? Thoughts and comments always welcome.


	25. Duel Spirit Day

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE: DUEL SPIRIT DAY

Chancellor Sheppard was waiting in front of the main building for the group. The first thing he noticed was that Truesdale was carrying his younger brother and the look he had… it was how he used to look. Rhodes was walking next to him and the two of them were speaking.

“Truesdale?” Sheppard called out.

Zane turned his head to look at Sheppard and smiled a bit. It was enough to know that Truesdale was back to himself, memories and all. Sheppard couldn’t stop the grin and he wanted to jump for joy… if his knees would have allowed it.

“Chancellor, thank you for not giving up,” Zane said solemnly.

“How could I ever give up on my favorite student.” Sheppard smiled and then caught sight of Syrus sleeping on Zane’s back, the duel disk still attached to his arm. “I am very impressed with Syrus here. I am guessing he was the one who dueled?” Sheppard asked.

“You bet! Syrus totally kicked butt!” Jaden exclaimed loudly.

Syrus grumbled in his sleep and wrapped his arms and legs tighter around Zane. The older shot Jaden a look that froze the Slifer on the spot. Jaden remembered Atticus giving a similar look, and could see how the two of them would be at the top. They were terrifying when they wanted to be.

“Lower your voice!” Zane hissed at Jaden. He glanced at Syrus and saw him still clinging tightly to Zane, a little frown on his sleeping face. “Let’s get Syrus into bed and let him sleep.”

“Well you all earned relaxation for the next couple of days. Remember it’s Duel Monsters Spirit Day tomorrow! My order for all of you is to relax and enjoy the day,” Sheppard said jovially. He was ecstatic that was able to give that kind of order to this group. They have been carrying such a heavy burden for so long.

Everyone smiled relieved at the news. Truth be told they forgot about the festival coming up, and it came at a great time. A time for them all to relax and enjoy themselves like actually teenagers. Not protectors of the world. They all shared a look and shoulders relaxed as if the tension was seeping out.

“Chancellor before that, we have some disturbing news,” Atticus said with a hard look on his face. Sheppard looked to him with raised eyebrows. “Professor Banner was at the very least complicit in the disappearances of all those students. Zane included.”

Sheppard staggered back in shock. He looked to Zane for confirmation, and he nodded his head somberly. The news struck a chord with Sheppard and he felt his blood boil. One of his teachers, who was supposed to help, guide and protect the students was responsible for them going missing?! That would not stand.

“I will deal with this personally. You all enjoy the next couple of days, put Professor Banner out of your minds. I will be letting security know and they will find him and apprehend him.” He looked at Zane. “You especially do not go anywhere alone. Who knows what Banner, or anyone he was working with, will do if they find out you have your memories back.”

Atticus stepped up and moved close to Zane. “You really think he is going anywhere without me?” His face said it all, Zane would never be left alone again. 

He saw the same realization cross Zane’s face and the look was priceless. Zane looked at Atticus and his eyes widened. Atticus smirked at Zane, causing a light flush to stain his cheeks for a moment. With an exaggerated sigh, Zane nodded his head in assent.

“Well, I am getting Syrus to the infirmary just to make sure he is alright. That Shadow Game took a lot out of him, and I want Nurse Fontaine to just make sure nothing is wrong,” Zane said. He glanced at Syrus again.

“Let’s go, we can get him in a bed there too. At least until Sheppard raids the Slifer Dorm for Banner,” Atticus said.

The two top students began making their way to the infirmary. Once they got Syrus checked in, Nurse Fontaine smiled at Zane and told him how glad she was he was alright again. She wanted to keep daily doing examinations, Atticus promised for him and said he would make sure Zane didn’t overexert himself.

Atticus dragged Zane to his room to have some quiet time. They were sitting on the balcony enjoying some sun and wind. The round glass table sat between them with some snacks sitting on it. Atticus was looking at Zane closely as he had his head tilted toward the sky. A smile crossed his lips and he knew he was staring but couldn’t stop himself.

“You’re staring again,” Zane said quietly. He turned his head to look Atticus dead in the eyes, and for the first time since he was found, their teal depths were clear.

“Well sue me, you had me in a perpetual state of panic the last couple of months. And don’t get me started on the last two years. Do you know how much I missed you?” Atticus blurted out.

Zane smiled slightly, just the slightest quirk of his lips. Yep Zane was back, that quirk of his lips was his signature look when he was happy. The wind shifted and shifted teal hair across his face, forcing Zane to move it out of his face.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you, from what I remember of that time, I didn’t want to burden you and it clearly backfired on me,” Zane said sadly. He turned his attention to the trees and foliage around them.

“Zane, was Yusuke in the Shadow Realm with you? Do you know where he is? Do we still need to rescue him?” Atticus watched Zane’s body language and he became agitated.

Zane placed his hands on his head and Atticus panicked. He shot out of his chair and kneeled in front of Zane. Atticus put his hands on Zane’s shoulders and steadied him. Zane gripped his head tightly and shook it, as if trying to rid himself of whatever was causing the pain.

“Zane, breathe, what’s wrong?” Atticus was starting to panic. Zane remembered everything, why would mentioning Yusuke cause him pain?

Zane suddenly went limp against him. Atticus caught him as he slid out of the chair. Before he could figure out what happened, a laugh echoed around him. He looked around, trying to see who could be here, but he couldn’t see anyone. The laughter sounded dark and maniacal, it sent cold shivers down his spine.

“Who’s there?” he called out in frustration.

“Be careful what you mention to my host. You all may have unlocked his memories, but I still have control of certain ones. Yusuke is responsible for Zane here having me and now I am permanently part of him. I may be sealed in this cursed card, but I will always be part of him. With my dark magic in his mind I can put barricades in his mind. Mention the wrong thing, and you cause him pain,” the demonic voice echoed around.

Atticus grit his teeth and pulled Zane closer. “Why would you do that? Who… what are you?”

“Now where is the fun in revealing all? I just figured I would give you that warning, to watch you squirm trying to figure out what other memories can cause him pain. I enjoy watching it.”

Everything went quiet again and Atticus was left with his thoughts. Zane was breathing steadily and didn’t appear to be in pain. But he was still unconscious and the disembodied voice’s words concerned Atticus. They had Zane back, but if this thing was still somehow connected to him… then they had another problem all together.

Atticus looked down at Zane and sighed. It seemed as if they never truly got ahead. First when Zane was recovered, they thought they were in the clear. Then he wakes without any memories. They spend weeks trying to help him remember, just to have Syrus defeat the sixth Shadow Rider to release his memories. Now Atticus finds out that the thing that had been possessing Zane was STILL keeping some memories sealed.

“One day, you will be freed from all this. I swear, and until then I am not leaving you alone again,” Atticus whispered against teal hair.

Atticus stood up and pulled Zane with him. Pulling him into the room, he placed him on the bed and crawled in beside him. Even though it was mid afternoon, they had been up all night. Exhaustion was pulling him down and with Zane sleeping as well, Atticus felt it was a good time to try and catch on some sleep.

Pulling Zane close, he wrapped tight arms around the slimmer frame of the person he loved. Closing the small gap, he kissed Zane’s forehead and closed his eyes to get some sleep as well. Concerned thoughts pushed back for now, they could be dealt with as they came. He would just need to be careful what was said around Zane.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The next day rolled around and Atticus was still feeling concerned. He wouldn’t let Zane out of his sight, the words from that demon echoing in his head. Currently they were all standing around the Slifer Dorm. Jaden was sitting on the top landing his face resting on his palm. Alexis and Bastion were leaning on the railing looking over it, faces downcast. Zane was leaning against the side of the building, facing Atticus. Syrus was sitting right by Zane’s legs, with his knees drawn up.

“So Professor Banner’s gone missing huh? That sure is strange,” Jaden muttered. He was staring off into the distance.

“No joke, especially with what you told us about him, Zane,” Syrus said. He tilted his head upwards and looked at his brother with concerned blue eyes. Ever since Syrus woke up in the infirmary, he rushed to find Zane and hasn’t left his side. It was adorably cute with him still acting as the protector.

Zane sighed and closed his eyes. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he gripped his left sleeve. “I wish it weren’t true. Trust me.” His voice was quiet.

“But it is,” Bastion spoke up for the first time. Everyone looked at him. “He is the one who led you to the Abandoned Dorm… the one who lured you into the Shadows. Thus turning you into Hell Kaiser.”

“That may be, but we still need answers. The most pressing question we need an answer to is why? What could he have gained from that?” Atticus said. His eyes narrowed and he glared at the wall behind Zane.

“Hey, I got a question. What on Earth is Chazz doing?” Jaden asked suddenly.

Everyone looked at Jaden first then in the direction he was pointing. Confusion had them all freezing in place. Chazz, dressed in his usual black garb, was walking around with a cat toy making different sounds. He was waving it around and looking more annoyed by the minute.

“Yoohoo, come out, come out wherever you are.” He paused looking around for a moment. “Ah, come on where are ya?” His tone took on more annoyance.

“Uh, where’s what Chazz?” Jaden asked. He leaned forward, slightly interested.

“His mind Jaden. Clearly he’s lost it,” Bastion said, his face and tone deadpan. Jaden turned his head on a laugh. The rest of the group cracked smiles as well, Bastion just said what they were all thinking.

Chazz waved the toy in the air, and pointed it at the group. “No, I’m looking for the cat. If we find that stupid cat, then we find Banner. Ba-duh,” Chazz spat out. He turned and walked away from them, still making noises.

“Ba-duh? Has Chazz lost his mind again?” Chumley asked as he walked up. His white and red jacket was covered in paint and he had a small smile on his face.

“Hey Chum! What’s up?” Jaden called. His eyes went wide as he took in his friend.

“I want to show you guys something. Come on,” he said and motioned with his arm for them to follow. 

Jaden jumped up and scampered down the steps, following Chumley. The rest all looked at one another and then decided it couldn’t hurt. Syrus stood up and was the next one down the stairs, taking off after Jaden. Alexis and Bastion moved next, leaving Atticus and Zane bringing up the rear.

They made it to a roped off section, where a giant poster stood tall and proud. On the poster were perfect impressions of Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, each had a duel disk on and Dark Magician Girl had her wand up for attack. The background was painted in a comic book style, advertising the Cosplay Duel the Slifers were putting on.

Syrus just stared at it. He felt himself grin so wide it hurt his cheeks. Zane, who was standing next to him, sighed in exasperation. He thought Syrus had grown out of this, but clearly not. While Sy was more mature in some aspects, it appeared he was still the old Syrus.

“You still have that crush Sy?” he asked.

Syrus froze and looked at Zane in horror. He forgot that Zane knew about his card crush on Dark Magician Girl. But how could he not love her? She was beautiful and powerful, the perfect combination. He just smiled sheepishly at Zane.

“What crush Sy?” Jaden spoke up. Everyone was looking at Syrus, expecting him to answer.

“Well…” Syrus trailed off.

“When Sy and I were growing up, he used to claim he was going steady with Dark Magician Girl.” Zane crossed his arms and smirked at Syrus. “He wouldn’t even look at other monsters for a while,” he said with a half laugh.

“Zane!” Syrus complained. He looked at his brother in horror. Yet a small part of him was glad to see the old Zane back. He was teasing Syrus like an older brother, not acting as if he were a nuisance.

“It’s the truth, isn’t it Syrus?” Zane questioned.

“Not the point!” Syrus yelled back.

Everyone watched the back and forth between the brothers for a moment. It was like a ping pong match, short shots back and forth. Jaden laughed and put an arm around Syrus. Syrus looked at Jaden with a red face.

“It’s alright Sy. Everyone has card crushes. I have a whole bunch in my deck.” He looked around the group. His eyes touched on Chumley.

“Yeah, same here,” Chumley joined in. “Anyway you like it Sy? I made it for the Cosplay Duel you started planning months ago.” Chumley looked at the poster with a light embarrassed tint to his cheeks.

“Chumley…” Syrus trailed off, touched that Chumley thought to do this for him.

“You all have been carrying a lot of weight lately. I wanted to try and help the only way I know how, with my art.” He glanced at everyone standing there. “Jaden and Syrus are my best friends, they reminded me what friendship and dueling truly mean. So this is my way of helping you guys take your minds off what is going on.”

“Chumley! You are the absolute best!” Syrus exclaimed. He jumped up and down just like he used to do as an excited child. He looked to Alexis, an idea forming. “Alexis? Will you be the Dark Magician Girl?”

Alexis looked shocked and took a step back. She looked to her brother for help, but he just smiled at her. Clearly not helping her. “Actually Sy, I already have a costume. Mindy, Jazzmine and I were going to do a group costume. But there is someone who has always been Dark Magician Girl.”

Suddenly the door to the Slifer Cafeteria opened and out walked Dorthy. She was glad in the Dark Magician Girl’s outfit, complete with the wand. Her brown hair was pulled into a braid and rested over her shoulder. Her small glasses rested precariously on her nose. It was a traumatizing sight for all the young teens. Jaden had his eyes so wide, you couldn’t see the white of his eyes anymore. Syrus had tears streaming down his cheeks, this image was NEVER getting out of his head. Bastion had a very uncomfortable smile on his face.

“Oh come on, don’t you think Dorthy pulls that off?” Chumley said with a smile. “She has always been our Dark Magician Girl.”

“P-Pull it off?” Syrus shook his head back and forth in absolute horror. “Don’t put that image in my brain… Ah! It’s already there! I need brain bleach!” Syrus whipped around and took off running to find the biggest jug of brain bleach he could locate.

Alexis just laughed and shook her head. She looked to the other two Obelisks standing there, completely unfazed by what was going on. With a little wave, she bid them farewell. She after all promised to spend some time with Mindy and Jazzmine. With the whole fiasco of the Shadow Riders, she hadn’t seen much of her friends.

“Have fun Lexi,” Atticus said. “We will catch up later, I want to see this group costume.” He had a devious glint in his eyes.

“Uh no we will not. I know how your mind works bro. You aren’t getting any photographs of me,” she snapped back. With that she turned on her heels and her long hair nearly hit her brother in the face.

Atticus just laughed, his sister really did underestimate him, if she really thought she could avoid him the entire time. His gaze slid to Zane who was looking at the direction Syrus had run off in with a little concern. Smiling, Atticus looped his arm through Zane’s and pulled him close.

“I say the two of us walk around for a bit. We need to catch up anyway,” Atticus said with a smile. Truth be told, he wanted to ask Zane about that demonic entity, and if he still felt it in his mind.

“Sure, it will be nice to enjoy the day. I also want to get a look at the costume duel later.” Zane smiled at Atticus, just like he used to.

The two of them walked through the different campuses and took in the sights. At present they found themselves outside the Ra Yellow Dorm where all the food was located. They had everything from greasy, fast food to the fine dining Obelisks were used to. People were milling around, the vendors calling out their wares. A couple of the choices had Atticus and Zane simultaneously cringing.

“Kuriboh Dumplings? That doesn’t even sound appetizing,” Atticus said.

“Well, I can’t disagree with that. Yet there appears to be a line for them. So they must taste better than they sound,” Zane replied. He looked at the line, but still didn’t move closer. He looked back to Atticus and raised an eyebrow. “So what do you really want to talk about? I know you Bucky, you do this when you have something on your mind.”

Atticus felt his heart skip a beat at the nickname. Their first year, Atticus had thought about fame and fortune after graduation. He had even doodled a stage name ‘Bucky’ on his notebook one day. Ever since then, Zane called him that when he was either feeling playful or trying to cheer him up.

“I want to ask about that mask. I don’t want to ruin the day, but something is bugging me. That mask was sealed away after the duel with Jaden, but do you…” Atticus couldn’t even complete the sentence. He was worried this would be one of the memories the entity spoke of that could cause Zane pain.

“Do I still feel it?” Zane finished. Atticus met his gaze and nodded. “Yeah I do. It’s still there, even with it sealed, it still is in my mind. I guess from being possessed by it for so long, it would be naive to think that it would dissipate completely.” Zane started walking again and Atticus was forced to follow.

They came to a cliff and watched the afternoon sun over the water. Zane reached down then and pulled out his deck from the holster attached to his hip. Atticus looked at him and noticed he was flipping through it. He suddenly stopped and flipped up a card to show Atticus. The brunette looked at it and gasped. It was the card that held the mask, the chains still containing it.

“No matter where I go, this card seems to show up. I left it with the rest of my deck last night when I went to shower. I get out and find it on the counter. This morning, I left it in the room Sheppard has me in. And now here it is again.” Zane turned the card back around and looked at it. “I suppose I am glad for one thing. If it’s focused on me, then it won’t be able to hurt anyone else. And I know it’s voice… it can’t trick me as easily, like it could a new victim. I know to keep my guard up, and keep it chained down. That way it can never walk this Earth and take another unsuspecting host.” Zane’s voice was firm, but resigned. As if he accepted this would be his permanent fate.

“Zane… why didn’t you say something to me?” Atticus said worriedly.

Zane looked at him and smiled sadly. “Because I already put you through hell once. I don’t want to do that again. I don’t want to hurt the people I love anymore,” he spoke the last part almost silently.

Atticus froze. Sure before Zane vanished, Atticus had started flirting with him, and they agreed to try the start of a relationship, provided Atticus kept his mouth shut about it. But to hear Zane say that… Atticus didn’t think about his next move, he just made it. Hands snapping out, he grabbed Zane’s collar and pulled in for a kiss. Atticus looked Zane dead in the eyes for a moment, before he closed his own eyes. Tilting his head slightly, he got a better angle and deepened the kiss. It took a few moments, but he felt Zane relax into it and actually start to kiss him back.

When they pulled back Atticus was pleased to see a dark stain on Zane’s face. Zane slid his deck into his holster and covered his face with his hand. Separating his fingers slightly, he looked at Atticus. The brunette just smiled and pulled the hand away from his face. He leaned in again, this time it was a gentle peck.

“Zane, don’t keep things from me. That was how the whole problem started in the first place. I know you want to protect us from it, but don’t do that. I want you to lean on me. My worry and everything I went through was nothing compared to the hell you endured.” He moved closer so they were eye to eye. “I love you. So that means I help you and stand by you.”

Zane just stood frozen. It appeared that Atticus confused him with this, and he was ok with it. The rare instances that Zane was confused, he was more open. His guards were down and he responded without overthinking. Pushing ahead, Atticus kept a tight grip on his hand and pulled him away from the cliff.

“Why don’t we go see the duel? I know Syrus spent a long time trying to organize this before the whole Shadow Riders fiasco. So let’s go support the little guy,” Atticus said.

“I suppose I have you to thank for how strong Syrus has become. He really learned the difference and he has turned into an amazing duelist.” Zane’s smile was small, but genuine.

“Syrus had the talent, he just lacked some confidence. But when he made up his mind to be a strong duelist, he excelled.” Atticus smirked at Zane. “Then he made the decision to be a Key Keeper to find you. I was so proud of him.”

The reminder had Zane narrowing his eyes. “How could Sheppard think that was a good idea. Syrus has such a kind soul…” Zane blew out a breath. “But he clearly has the edge he needs when it comes to dueling. He may just make it in this world.”

Atticus laughed, high praise indeed coming from Zane ‘Kaiser’ Truesdale. Atticus interlocked their fingers and pulled him along quicker. He really wanted to see this duel, and the commotion he was hearing coming from the Slifer Dorm made him think it was worth the hype.

They finally reached it and stood at the back of the students surrounding the makeshift arena. They looked to one side and saw Jaden standing there, no surprise if there was a duel to be had, then Jaden was game. On the other side was… Dark Magician Girl?

“Hold on is that…” Atticus started, his eyes wide with disbelief.

Zane felt his eyes widen, it was a perfect cosplay of Dark Magician Girl. Even the rosy blush on her cheeks. It was slightly disconcerting to see. She also had Magician’s Valkyria as well as Dark Magician Girl on the field. That was intriguing.

“Last I knew only the King of Games himself had Dark Magician Girl. Where did this girl come from?” Zane questioned.

“I’m not sure, but it sure is interesting isn’t it?” Bastion spoke as he walked up.

Zane looked at him and noticed he was dressed in a tiger costume… with a scar over one eye. The older teen raised an eyebrow at this, he remembered vaguely about Bastion’s duel with Tania. However he didn’t realize just how infatuated Bastion became with the Amazon.

Bastion seemed to realize his costume and looked at Zane sheepishly. After all, Zane had a bad experience with Tania, this might make him far too uncomfortable. He went to speak, but the Obelisk beat him to it.

“It’s fine Bastion. She was the only other one there who wasn’t in it to harm people. If you had to fall for one of them, at least she is a ‘safe’ bet.” Zane turned his attention back to the duel in front of him. Something struck him about this duel. “Man, she is playing the crowd better than Jaden’s playing his deck.”

“No joke there. She is using her charm and making Jaden out to be the bad guy. I mean what would they have him do? Lose the duel?” Atticus laughed. He put his hands on his hips and shook his head.

Jaden managed to pull out a win, much to the dismay of the crowd. They all started crying and Dark Magician Girl just smiled and moved her arms in a slashing motion. “Well, if I’m going to go down, I’m going to go down fighting. Even if I lose the duel here, I feel as if I won something. I got to meet so many of my fans.”

At the end of the duel, Jaden sank to the ground rubbing the back of his head. Everyone was crying and cheering for Dark Magician Girl. Zane watched Syrus closely, and he was looking at her strangely. His eyes were wide, but he could see the gears turning in his little brother’s mind. Shaking his head, he decided to leave Syrus alone with those thoughts.

Jaden jumped up and laughed when Alexis walked over to him. Atticus felt his eyes go round, his sister was dressed like Harpy Lady, complete with the pink wig and pointed ears. Oh, this was too good an opportunity to pass up. He smiled widely and began making his way over to where they stood. Zane trailed behind him with a look of exasperation.

“Atticus…” Zane trailed off the warning.

“Oh come on. This is a big brother’s duty, taking embarrassing photos to show the rest of the family later,” Atticus whined. 

He pulled out his slim digital camera from inside his jacket and took a quick picture. Alexis and Jaden were standing next to one another talking softly. The clicking and flash of the camera alerted both of them to what happened. Alexis felt her face flush, she was going to kill her brother for this. Atticus waved the camera around and laughed.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Alexis demanded. She advanced on him. Clad in gold armor with claws, pink hair and pointy ears, she looked more than a little menacing.

“Oh you know, just big brother stuff. I have a duty to uphold, and that duty includes taking embarrassing photos of you. Especially ones I can show mom and dad later. As well as Uncle Doug and Aunt Gale, and cousin Alana-” he was cut off by a sharp claw heading for his face. He cringed and took off running in the opposite direction.

“Give me back that damn camera! I will murder you Atticus!” Alexis yelled as she chased her older brother.

“No way Lexi,” Atticus called back on a laugh. Another flash to try and blind her was done, which only inspired Alexis to want to slash him more.

The Rhodes siblings soon disappeared into the mass of students and teachers. Zane just stood there shaking his head, wondering what on Earth attracted him to Atticus. But hearing the laugh coming from the sea of people, it answered his question for him. Zane was a cold, distant personality, Atticus was sunshine incarnate. Of course he would be drawn to him.

Syrus came up, looking a little dazed. His face was flushed, and he wore a silly pink bowtie. Zane could see the gears turning in his brother’s mind, he wondered if Syrus was wondering the same thing he was. Walking the short distance he nudged Syrus and got his attention.

“You thinking what I am?” Zane asked, looking down at the younger.

“You heard what she said too right Zane? She was so glad to meet so many of her fans?” Syrus looked around. “You don’t think she was a duel spirit do you?” Syrus asked in a conspiratorial whisper.

Zane shrugged with a smile. “I don’t have the ability to actually see duel spirits Sy. I can only hear them. But something definitely didn’t add up with that. So it’s possible.” Zane looked around, before looking back to Syrus. “Isn’t that the wonderful thing about today? Truly anything could be possible.”

Syrus smiled and nodded his head rapidly. “Yeah, you’re right. And best of all, you are really back big bro.” Syrus hugged him tight once more. “Well I am going to find Jaden, you coming?”

Zane shook his head. He wanted to take advantage of some alone time, while Atticus was running for his life from his ferocious sister. “You go ahead. I am going to enjoy some peace and quiet.” He started walking away and turned back to Syrus with a smirk. “Oh and Syrus… nice pink bow.” He walked away with Syrus squeaking indignantly.

A couple of hours later, Zane found himself sitting in front of the bonfire. The sun had set and the Slifer Dorm had a huge bonfire going in front of their dorm. The flames crackled and spit embers into the night sky. Blowing out a breath Zane felt some of the tension leave his body. Thanks to Cyber End Dragon, the dark voice hadn’t bothered him really today, so he had a truly peaceful day.

“There you are!” a jovial voice came from his left.

Turning his head, he saw Atticus sit down on the log next to him. The fire casting a warm glow on his face. He had a couple scratch marks on his cheek and his white jacket had dirt on it. He turned from looking at the flames to look Zane in the eyes, the grin getting wider.

“Thought you could avoid me did ya? Well you heard what I told Sheppard, you wouldn’t be going anywhere alone again.” Atticus gave a theatrical bow, well as much of one as he could sitting anyway. “Your knight in shining armor slash body guard is here.”

Zane just stared at him for a moment, then sighing, he shot his hand out and shoved Atticus off the log. Atticus tipped over with a laugh and pulled himself back up. Once seated again, he put his arm around Zane and pulled him close. Zane resigned himself to having Atticus attached to him from now on. In a rare display of public affection, Zane leaned in and kissed Atticus on the cheek.

Atticus froze for a moment, but then smiled sweetly. He leaned down and brushed his nose against Zane’s. Zane closed his eyes and placed his head on Atticus’s shoulder, letting the warmth from the fire and the person he loved warm him like nothing had in two years.

Across the way Jaden stood shocked. He had wondered if there was more to Atticus and Zane’s friendship then was mentioned. But to see that touching moment, all but put a neon sign up for him. Turning on his heels, he went to find Syrus. Stopping he saw the next thing that shocked him. The spirit of Dark Magician Girl leaned in a kissed Syrus on the cheek.

Today was full of surprises and for once they were good ones. All the bad they have been dealing with, every bit of weight they carried… it was laid to rest here for a day. Jaden smiled at Winged Kuriboh and looked over his shoulder once more. A shimmering figure of Cyber End Dragon was behind Zane, standing sentry.

Yeah, today was worth everything they were going through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was supposed to be pure and all fluff... but some small angst snuck in. The deal with 'Hellshroud' is similar to the anime. In season 4 Atticus started to have flashes of memories, memories that Nightshroud kept from him. I mean he didn't even remember Yusuke until that point either. So this was my way of explaining why he wasn't mentioned. Atticus is trying to protect Zane at all costs and that includes not talking about things that can potentially hurt him, in this story. So to that end, he will not mention Yusuke, but he will keep looking for him. So what did you all think? Did the fluff later make up for the angst? As always, thoughts and comments welcome!


	26. A Little Thing Called Respect

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX: A LITTLE THING CALLED RESPECT

Atticus stood by the lighthouse gazing out to the water. Something was weighing on his mind, something that needed to be discussed with someone. But the person who he wanted to discuss it with, hadn’t brought it up to him yet. Atticus heard it from outside a door, he wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but he had been looking for Zane.

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Atticus was walking the halls, looking for Zane. They agreed to meet and talk about what Zane remembered, and to have a night together. The previous night Zane had spent in his room, and Atticus had a death grip on him the entire night. He was incredibly antsy with Zane being out of his sight.

“I am just concerned about this master,” Zane’s voice came from Sheppard’s office. Atticus turned his attention toward it.

“You know no matter what I support you Truesdale. However, think about this. You have always wanted to be a professional duelist. Don’t throw your dream away because of what happened to you,” Sheppard’s voice responded.

Atticus froze on the spot. Was Zane looking to stop dueling? No, that wasn't like him at all. What was he saying?

“I can still feel that dark presence. The only reason it is leaving me alone is because of Cyber End Dragon keeping it at bay. I don’t want to run the risk of being in a duel and drawing that card… I don’t want to become that person again.” Zane’s voice was quiet, and Atticus swore he heard it shake a bit.

“All I ask is you take time to think about this decision. We will discuss it again in a week or so. For now, reacquaint yourself with things around here. I am just glad you are back, I have been worried about you.”

Atticus couldn’t just stand there, he whipped around and strode down the hallways. He had to think of a way to keep Zane from following through with his decision.

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Atticus was so lost in his thoughts, he didn’t realize he had company until the person touched his shoulder gently. He jerked back as if shocked and looked at the person who snuck up on him. Standing beside him, with a concerned expression, was Zane. His teal eyes looked at Atticus with worry and confusion.

“You ok?” Zane questioned. He narrowed his eyes and looked closely at Atticus. It was nearly impossible to ever sneak up on Atticus.

“Yeah, just thinking,” Atticus answered vaguely.

Zane simply held his gaze unwaveringly. “Remember that conversation we had about not lying or keeping things from each other. That is a two way street Atticus. You don’t have to tell me if you really don’t want to, but don’t lie.”

Atticus slumped his shoulders, Zane was right. He was a hypocrite of epic proportions if he wasn’t up front with Zane. He looked at him and held his gaze.

“Why do you want to stop dueling?” Atticus blurted out.

Zane went still and his eyes widened a fraction. “Where… where did you hear that?” he asked in a whisper.

“I was looking for you earlier. I happened to be walking by Sheppard’s office and heard what you said.” Atticus reached out and grabbed Zane by arms. “Why do you want to stop dueling? That has been your passion for years. You always wanted to go pro with it!” Atticus came close to shaking Zane.

“I can’t duel anymore Atticus.” Zane’s response was spoken almost silently. “That card, that darkness is permanently part of me. If I were in a professional duel and ended up drawing that card, it would be a problem. And if that is what has you upset, clearly you didn’t hear everything else.”

“What else Zane?” Atticus demanded.

“I asked Sheppard if I could repeat the two years I missed. I-”

“You WHAT?!” Atticus yelled. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Zane was more than smart enough to take the final and pass it. Atticus knew that first hand, so why was he asking to repeat the terms?

“Atticus, breathe. You haven’t taken a breath in a while.” Zane held his gaze steady. 

This was how they really were. Atticus was a spaz on the best of days and Zane steadied him, bringing him back down to Earth. When Zane wasn’t speaking again, Atticus knew he needed to take a breath. Sucking in much needed air, Atticus finally noticed the black spots on the corners of his vision. He must have been close to passing out… he really needed to learn.

“Now to answer your question, I missed out on a lot, Atticus. The whole thing with being taken to the Shadow Realm, I missed out on two years of schooling. It isn’t set in stone yet… Sheppard asked me to take some time to think about both of these things. He seems convinced that I could take the final and pass it. He-”

“You could Zane! You always were the smarter one. I also know you could do it… Zane I don’t want to graduate without you,” Atticus whispered.

Zane stared at Atticus for a few moments. He had expected a fight, but this was not what he was expecting. Zane smiled sadly, he didn’t want to graduate after Atticus, he wanted to be up there with him as well. They had planned on one of them being valedictorian and the other being salutatorian.

“I know, but this is something that needs to be considered. Maybe in time I will change my mind on dueling… but for now, I can’t risk it.”

“Hold on, if it’s just because you don’t want to start dueling… then still graduate with me. You and I could do something. Hey we could be a team…” Atticus felt his cartoon grin coming back. “Yeah, we can do that, not necessarily a tag duel team, but we could do something else.”

Zane felt himself smile, Atticus had a way of cheering himself up. He shook his head in fond exasperation, this was not the first time Atticus tried wrangling him into his schemes or dreams of fame and fortune. “You never change, do you Bucky?”

“Hey, I had enough of being the mature one for two years. I want my old dream of being a duel idol back.” Atticus smiled, and felt himself relax marginally. “Promise me you will just think about it Zane. Hell if you want to be in the background for a while, a manager, a duel instructor… anything I will support.” He pulled Zane in for a hug and wrapped tight arms around Zane’s form. “Just promise me you will think before making a decision. I really don’t want to leave you again.”

Zane felt his eyes widen, Atticus didn’t care what he did… he just wanted them together. Zane closed his eyes, mentally exhausted. Leaning his head on Atticus’s shoulder, he nodded his head in assent. They stood there for a few moments, finally Zane was the one to move back first.

“I promise to think about it. As long as you promise to support my decision, no matter what it is.” Zane leveled Atticus with his dark look. “I mean it, this will be my decision. No one has the right to make it for me, and try to sway me. I had enough of my choices taken away from me in the last two years. I had no free will, so now I need to feel in control of my own decisions.”

Atticus gave a tight smile. “I promise to accept what you decide. Provided you actually think about it. I really do want you to make the decision that is right for you. I love you and no matter what you decide I will fully support you. Just don’t be surprised to find me around, or at the very least in constant contact if you chose to stay here for two more years.”

He knew he would have to support whatever Zane decided to do. He had his free will stripped from him for two years, there was no way Atticus would add to how he felt controlled, he would accept whatever Zane wanted. To help him feel as if he had some control over his decisions again. Before either teen could speak, they heard an unusual sound. Turning their attention toward the darkness of the night, they tried to make it out. It sounded like a motor boat, but there wouldn’t be anyone out this time of night.

“Who on Earth is out at this time of night?” Zane wondered aloud. Shrugging his shoulders he looked at Atticus again. “Syrus was saying that the entire Slifer Dorm is still looking for Professor Banner. Jaden seems to be taking it particularly hard. Were they close?”

Atticus felt his blood start to boil. Professor Banner was involved in some way with Zane’s disappearance and Atticus was sure that he knew about Yusuke’s vanishing as well. Thanks to the stupid entity Zane now had inside of him, Atticus couldn’t even ask about Yusuke without causing Zane pain. And it sounded as if the entity thrived on Zane’s pain. He wasn’t sure if Jaden was close to Banner, but he was the head of the Slifer Dorm, so it was possible.

Keeping his expression as cheerful as possible he looked at Zane again. “I’m not sure actually. I mean it’s possible, Banner has been the head of the Slifer Dorm for a while now. Everyone thought he cared for the students, but after what you revealed it is clear that’s not true.” Atticus shook his head to clear the dark thoughts gathering there. “Anyway, let’s head back. We were planning on having a movie night tonight. I want to keep that.”

Atticus grabbed Zane’s hand and started pulling him toward the dorms. Along the way they ran across Alexis and Jaden. The two of them were moving quickly through the trees and across the grass. Both were making their way to the main building. Zane leaned forward intrigued and looked to Atticus.

“They look like they’re in a hurry, let’s follow them.” Before Atticus could say anything, Zane was already making his way after the younger two.

Jogging he caught up and they followed Alexis and Jaden. The younger teens turned around and saw the two Obelisks following them and smiled in greeting. Alexis looked at how Atticus had his hand around Zane’s and a knowing grin came to her face. She knew that Zane had not been comfortable with others knowing, so Atticus asked her to play dumb. She agreed… for now.

The group of four made their way through the empty hallways until they reached Chancellor Sheppad’s office. Outside the door stood six Slifers, including Syrus and Chumley. Jaden cracked a grin and waved as he walked up.

“Hey guys, what’s this? A dorm meeting?” he called out.

Syrus whipped around and shushed Jaden with so much force everyone froze. Syrus looked at the four that walked up and met his brother’s eyes. Suddenly he felt as if he were a child about to be scolded, Zane was good at that. Especially if Syrus was doing something wrong.

“Can’t you tell? We’re trying to spy in there,” Syrus whisper-yelled.

“Spying?” Zane questioned with a raised eyebrow at his younger brother.

“On who Sy?” Atticus asked. He may be physically older, but he had the spirit of a child, and Zane had a sinking suspicion that he would end up being the sole voice of reason.

Three of the four newcomers stood in front of the door while it slid open with the sensor. Zane put a hand on his head and shook it. Why did he have to be the mature one all the time? When the door opened they got a quick look and immediately slid to the side. Jaden and Alexis stood on the side next to Chumley, while Atticus yanked Zane on the side with Syrus.

Inside the office were Chancellor Sheppard, Dr. Crowler and a man no one recognized. He was tall, wore a pristine white suit and had brown hair from what they could see. It was only a glance, but that glance told them the scene in the office was tense and not a friendly chat.

Alexis was pale as a ghost. She had her hand covering her mouth and the other balled into a fist. Her gold eyes were wide and Atticus was worried about his sister. Before he could do anything, Jaden placed a comforting hand on her arm and drew her attention to him.

“You ok Lex?” he asked.

Alexis just shook her head. Before anyone could question it further, yells and shouts came from inside the office. There were suspicious crashes as well. Alexis seemed to snap out of her daze and her eyes flashed with furry. She started to move, but Crowler let out a scream that rivaled a horror movie.

She felt her resolve strengthen and she shoved away from the wall. She moved in front of the sensor for it to register. Once it did, she strode in confidently. Inside they could see the Academy Security team scattered around on the ground. The woman captain had a slash on her forehead and she was wiping it. Crowler was hunched over, and appeared to be holding his black slacks up… that was an image all the teens could have lived without.

“Alexis!” Jaden hissed from his hiding spot.

“What’s she doing?” Chumley cried.

“Well you haven’t grown up too much,” she spat out.

The man turned around and they got a look at him. He was of a tanner complexion and wore square frames on his face. His dark eyes widened when he saw her and the others swore they saw his jaw hit the floor. He also wore a black bow tie and a red scarf stuck out from his pocket. Atticus narrowed his eyes at that.

“My… you have,” he stated with a thick French accent.

“Quit the compliments Pierre, you’re here because you want something.” Alexis undid her top button and pulled out her Spirit Key. “Probably whatever I value most like this Spirit Key, or maybe my duel deck. Well no thanks, you don’t have anything I want.” Alexis spoke with so much venom, it shocked everyone standing there.

“Oh?” the stranger slid off Sheppard’s desk before making his way toward her. “But you know that I do. It belonged to you,” Pierre said arrogantly.

“Before you stole it,” Alexis shot back with a cold smile. Her eyes unconsciously slid to the red scarf in his breast pocket. “Remember?”

“Stole what? Atticus? Jaden?” Syrus questioned. He looked towards the two people who knew Alexis as did the others.

“Beats me Sy. Atticus?” Jaden turned to look at Atticus and noticed he had his eyes narrowed on Pierre.

Everyone looked at one another in confusion. It was clear there was more to this story than anyone knew… except they were not being informed. So they all just stood quietly and tried to piece it together themselves.

“I know that you want it. And I know that you will… DUEL for it!” he exclaimed.

Jaden barked out a laugh drawing attention to him. Syrus looked at his friend, thinking he lost his mind. “You want to duel Alexis? You have a death wish? She will wipe the floor with you and your sorry face.”

“Fine, like Jaden said, I will wipe the floor with your sorry face. Duel Arena, 5 minutes. You will be sorry you ever showed your face to me again!”

With that Alexis spun on her heels and stalked out. Atticus knew that look, and this poor idiot was in for a world of pain. But he needed to know who this guy was. Without a second thought, he went after his sister and cornered her outside her dorm. Both of them had long legs, so he was playing catch up.

“Alexis! Hold up, what is going on? Who is that?” Atticus demanded. He finally caught her and gripped her elbow.

“Not now bro. I need to go teach this asshole some lessons on respect,” Alexis all but snarled. Roughly yanking her arm from Atticus’s grip, she marched toward the arena. Atticus followed behind her in a complete conundrum. 

The siblings made it to the arena and saw that Sheppard had used the security team to bring Pierre. Zane stood off to the side with Syrus and his friends. They all had narrowed eyes on the intruder, it was clear they all hated him just from Alexis’s reaction.

“Ready to have your ass handed to you AGAIN?” Alexis snapped out.

“We shall see how this goes mon ami,” he said back.

The two of them went to opposite sides of the raised platform and took their stances. Sheppard and Crowler went up to a row of seats and sat down for the duel. The two Obelisks and three Slifers all stood on the ground level, watching. They never took their eyes off Alexis.

“So who is this stiff? And why does he have it for Alexis?” Jaden asked the question once more.

“Jaden, if I had the answer I would have told you to prevent you asking every five minutes.” Atticus knew he sounded snippy but this wasn’t a situation he liked. It was clear Alexis knew this guy, but it was not a good thing.

“Shall we ma cherie?” Pierre slid his deck into his disk and grinned swarmily at Alexis.

“Bring it!” Alexis snapped, clicking her disk open.

“DUEL!” they exclaimed together.

Pierre started off and summoned the monster Gamble Angel Bunny in attack mode. 1200 points flashed and he gently touched the scarf in his pocket. Alexis leaned forward in anger. She glared daggers at him, and if looks could kill he would have been six feet under a long time ago.

“Wow… look at her,” Syrus said dreamily. He closed his eyes with a smile and his cheeks pinkened.

Zane wanted to roll his eyes. First Dark Magician Girl and now this? Placing a hand to his head, he shook it. Syrus really didn’t change that much. He was about to say something, but Jaden beat him to the punch.

“Easy there Sy. You wouldn’t want to go and make Dark Magician Girl jealous now do ya?” Jaden laughed with his eyes closed.

As if a switch was flipped Syrus snapped straight and his eyes went wide. His face was still flushed, but for an entirely different reason now. His eyes darted side to side in worry and he stayed as still as possible.

“Is she here?” he questioned quietly.

“No, but better watch yourself Romeo,” Atticus joked. He shot Syrus a grin and leaned an arm on Zane’s shoulder, while he continued to watch the duel.

Syrus nodded his head and everyone turned their attention back to the duel. He wouldn’t make Dark Magician Girl jealous. She was too perfect to ever do that too.

Once Pierre activated his monster’s effect, everyone went still. They were sure it had to be cheating to use that Second Coin Toss card, he managed to inflict 1000 points of damage to Alexis on the first turn.

Alexis grit her teeth and launched into attaching. She was battling fast and furious… the complete opposite of her style. It concerned them, because she was making moves that she normally wouldn’t make. Finally Jaden had enough and curiosity was killing him.

“Hey Alexis. You want to fill in the peanut gallery about why you hate this guy so much?”

Alexis looked back at her brother and friends. They hadn’t pushed too much, and she was quite frankly shocked by that. Sighing, she realized she DID owe at least a small explanation. She told them the story of how she knew Pierre.

“With pleasure, it all started back when we were kids. He was the new transfer student, nothing to him but a pretty face. He looked so shy in the beginning and everyone in the class pitched in to make him feel welcome. But not long after his true colors started to show.” She grinned sarcastically. “Funny, how you act now, is how you acted then too. You really haven’t changed, you are the same scared little boy.”

“You watch your tongue. I have changed and I will show you just how much.” Pierre sounded like a child who was being told he couldn’t have his way anymore. It annoyed everyone standing there.

“Funny, you never did return those things did you?” She looked toward the group. “He started gambling, taking things from people. When he lost he would double down and end up taking even more from them. So I decided I would put a stop to it. Little did I know he would be a sore loser. I beat him twice in Duel Monsters, and he stole the most precious thing I had on me at the time.”

Atticus felt his eyes widen. When Alexis was a kid in school, their mother gave her a scarf… a RED scarf. Alexis treasured it, and then one day she became despondent and people didn’t see the scarf. Atticus had asked her about it back then, but she brushed him off. Atticus looked toward Pierre once more. Anger, the likes only reserved for Professor Banner at this point, began to boil to the surface.

“This asshole stole the scarf from you didn’t he Lex?” Atticus questioned, deadly quiet.

Zane and Alexis both knew that tone. They turned to look at the older Rhodes and saw him planning a thousand ways to murder Pierre. After all they were surrounded by water… burial by sea sounded like a good idea to him. Alexis looked to Zane quickly, hoping he could read her eyes. Back in Middle School, Zane was the one who kept Atticus tapered, she hoped he could do it again.

Zane looked at her and nodded his head, letting her know that he understood what she was asking. Zane stealthily slid his hand down and wrapped a restraining hand around Atticus’s wrist. He squeezed gently, trying to bring Atticus’s attention back to the duel, not planning murder.

“Alexis, I want an answer,” Atticus said.

“Yeah, he took the scarf. That’s why I haven’t had it,” Alexis said sadly. 

That scarf belonged to their mother and when she gave it to Alexis, the younger sibling was ecstatic. Atticus could still remember the smile on his sister’s face that day, it was as bright as the sun. His eyes slid back to Pierre. This jackass stole it and he wouldn’t be getting away with it either.

“You stole it, a gift my mother gave me. It was her favorite scarf and I treasured it above all else.” Her eyes hardened again. “You know why? Because you’re not a gambler, you’re a thief! And just like all crooks, you’re going down!”

Pierre smiled at her and lifted the scarf out of his pocket and up to his lips. Kissing it gently, he looked Alexis directly in the eyes. “Your scarf has now become my favorite lucky charm.”

“Yeah?” Alexis smiled darkly. “Not for long, I’ll be taking it back.”

The duel started to rage on once again. Those watching really didn’t know how this would turn out, Alexis would get somewhere and Pierre would play his Second Coin Toss. Although Atticus noticed something that he found strange… he only used the card once per turn. His eyes widened as realization clicked.

Zane could swear he heard dual light bulbs click on in the minds of Rhodes siblings. Smirking, he looked at Alexis. She finally figured it out and so did Atticus. She would pull this out and Pierre would learn the saying: “Hell hath no fury, like a woman scorned”.

As predicted Alexis won and she stalked over to Pierre. Before she could do anything Atticus shook off Zane’s grip and jumped up. He moved his sister aside and grabbed Pierre by the collar, hauling him up. There was clear retribution in Atticus’s eyes, this guy was going to pay. Alexis went to touch her brother, but one look from him stopped her. He needed to do this, she beat him in Duel Monsters, proving yet again that she was top for a reason. But he needed to get some of this excess frustration out.

“You took him down Lex, now I am going to do my part as a big brother and take out the trash.” He looked back to Pierre and snapped a hand out to yank the scarf from his pocket. Flipping it back at his sister, he stalked off with a trembling and terrified Pierre. “You and I are going to have a nice long talk, Pierre.”

Everyone stared after the furious Obelisk and his unfortunate victim. Eyes went to Zane, expecting him to go after him. Maybe even talk him out of whatever he was going to do. Zane met their eyes and shrugged his shoulders.

“When he reaches this point, it is usually best to let him get it out of his system.” His eyes went to Alexis. “Sound familiar?”

Alexis grimaced and knew she was trapped. She told Zane something similar when Atticus was throttling Crowler. So for Zane to throw it back at her was fair. She looked in the direction where Atticus had dragged off a terrified Pierre and just hoped she wouldn’t be visiting her brother in jail. Looking down in her hands, she smiled. The scarf she loved so dearly was finally back in her possession. She held it close to her body as she walked off the platform and down the steps.

She passed by Crowler and Chancellor Sheppard who were riveted to their seats. “I apologize for the disturbance.”

“Nonsense. This was not your fault Alexis, I will have my security team make sure he is escorted off the island and told to not come back.” Sheppard looked at Zane. “Truesdale.” He waited until Zane looked at him. “Make sure Rhodes doesn’t kill that guy. You know how to talk him down and I expect you to do it.”

Zane nodded his head and walked off to find where Atticus had dragged a poor, unsuspecting teen to. It took some looking but he finally found them. Atticus was waving cheerfully at him as the security team escorted him onto a boat and departed from Academy Island. Zane noticed there were a couple bruises on his face and he was sure Atticus would have some scuff marks himself.

“You get that out of your system?” Zane asked as he came up.

Atticus turned his head and grinned. His smile was a little manic, his eyes a little over bright. There was still some pent up energy in his system and a movie night was not going to cover calming him down. His face was clear, but when Zane grabbed his hand, he saw a couple scratches on his knuckles.

“Seriously? Besides his face is there any other place that he has bruises now?” Zane questioned. He tilted Atticus’s hand, different directions just to make sure nothing was broken. He ran his fingers over the abrasions on his knuckles.

“Well… maybe a few places.” Atticus shot a disgusted look out over the water. “Guy needed to learn about respect.” He looked back to Zane. “That scarf was our mom’s. She gave that to Alexis as a gift and Alexis treasured that thing. For him to take it…” Atticus trailed off, clearly winding himself up again.

“Well you took care of it. So slow your roll, and tone it down before I have to visit you in prison.” Zane’s tone was so deadpan, Atticus wondered if he was making a joke or being serious.

“Hey, if I’m going to commit a crime, I wouldn’t be so stupid as to do it with witnesses.” Atticus sniffed arrogantly. He smiled again and put his arm around Zane. “So much for our movie night. You up for a night under the stars?”

Zane laughed, he couldn’t help it. Looking up his teal eyes danced with happiness. “With you? Yeah, let’s spend it outside.”

The two Obelisks made their way to the private gardens the Blue Dormitory had and settled themselves on a wrought iron bench. Pulling their respective jackets tighter around them, they stared at the sky and saw a shooting star.

“Make a wish,” Atticus said happily.

“I wish for Zane to finally have peace,” Atticus thought.

“Stupid, but whatever.” Zane looked at Atticus first, then the shooting star. “I just wish for the right decision. Let me make the correct one.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! This chapter is done! I tell you, Covid is not kind to the clinic I work at. We are one of the only places in my city that does Covid testing and we are swamped. But hey a day off means I can spend some time writing! So for this chapter I wasn't sure I would incorporate it into this story, but I decided last minute to. I always wanted to see Atticus in this episode from the anime. So I decided he would be there this time and he was the big brother. Now Zane has a big decision to make in regards to his education. What do you all think he will chose? As always, thoughts and comments welcome. Thanks!


	27. Healing Takes Time

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN: HEALING TAKES TIME

The starry night shone down on Zane Truesdale as he sat outside looking up at the sky. He couldn’t sleep for the third night in a row. The dark voice was quiet for now, but the last few nights it echoed in his mind. Hissing out threats and dark promises if he would release it once again. He felt his heartbeat stutter and he wanted to shake his head in the negative motion.

“You can’t escape me Hell Kaiser. I am always part of you and will not be kept chained down,” the voice bled into his mind once again.

Zane had spent the last couple of nights thinking about what he wanted to do. He couldn’t risk dueling anymore, his one passion in life was now stripped from him. All his life he wanted nothing more than to go to the pro leagues and become a professional duelist. He grit his teeth in frustration. If he got his hands on Banner… the professor was going to wish he had never been born.

A harsh gust of wind whipped by him and he shivered. Pulling the collar of his white jacket closer, he tried to shield himself from the wind. Blowing out a loud breath, he stood up. The glowing warmth from Cyber End Dragon was letting him know it wanted him inside.

“Yeah, yeah going in right now,” Zane muttered under his breath.

Before he made it too far, he saw Atticus step from around the corner. Concerned brown eyes met his exhausted teal ones. He walked right up to Zane and wrapped his arms around him and pulled in for a tight hug.

“What do you need?” Atticus asked quietly.

He wasn’t sure what to do for Zane the last couple of nights. He didn’t want to suffocate him with being overbearing, but something needed to give. Zane was not sleeping and was despondent, feeling as if everything he worked for was now not in the cards for him, pun not intended.

Zane shook his head side to side, slowly. He wasn’t sure what he needed truth be told. His mind was still a mess, but he wasn’t letting anyone see it. He instead was focusing on repairing the relationship with Syrus. Was focusing on being with Atticus now, trying to be here in the present. 

Squeezing Zane to him, he eased back after a moment. “Why don’t we head back to the dorm. We don’t have to go to sleep if you don’t want to, but you need to relax. We can put on a cheesy cartoon or movie. Anything you want to watch.” Atticus ran his thumb over the dark rings starting to come back under Zane’s eyes. “But you at least need some time to shut your mind off.”

Zane nodded his head and closed his eyes for a moment. Atticus smiled sadly and leaned in to kiss Zane softly. He hoped he would be able to convince Zane to sleep tonight. A devious smirk came across his face, he knew a number of ways to wear him out.

Zane saw that look as they started making their way back toward their dorm. Looking at the devious look Atticus had, Zane knew what it meant. Shaking his head in exasperation, he knew what Atticus was thinking.

“Atticus… why does your mind immediately go there?” Zane questioned. “Do you have a permanent residence in the gutter?”

They walked in the door and felt the rush of warm air from the heater. While the island was near the equator, and the days were hot, the nights got cold. So a small heater system was installed into the buildings around the island.

“I have no idea what you mean.” Atticus pulled him along the ornately tiled floor to the winding staircase. He threw a devilish smirk over his shoulder and winked at Zane. “I just know ways to get you to relax. I plan on using everything I know to do just that.”

Once they were inside Atticus’s room, he ushered Zane to the couch. Atticus sat down first and pulled Zane down on top of him. Zane’s head rested on his chest and Atticus wrapped him in a tight embrace. Leaning over, he grabbed the clicker and turned on the television. Flipping through the channels, he came across a childish cartoon. Thinking it was the perfect mind numbing thing to watch and force Zane into at least a twilight sleep, he turned the volume to a low level and leaned back.

About half an hour into the show about an upbeat teen who put together an ancient artifact and awoke the spirit of an ancient world leader, and the story of their adventures, Atticus felt Zane start to slump. Smirking Atticus looked down and Zane’s face was facing the television, he looked peaceful for a little bit. Rubbing his hands up and down the back of his boyfriend, he situated himself more comfortably and closed his eyes.

“For the rest of the night, I will protect you from whatever plagues you. You will never again have to face this entity alone,” Atticus whispered. A few minutes later he also succumbed to sleep.

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Atticus woke up when the first rays of sunlight shone through his glass door leading out to the balcony. Squeezing his eyes shut he rolled over and faced the couch. He wasn’t ready to get up yet. It was Saturday, there were no classes and he needed some sleep. After all he had been up late… His eyes shot open and he looked frantically around his room.

“Zane?!” Atticus called out.

Zane came into his vision a moment later. He looked down at Atticus with concern in his eyes. His hair was damp and he only had on his pants. He cocked his head to the side and had questions in his eyes.

“What? Are you alright?” Zane asked quietly.

Atticus jerked up and launched himself over the back of the couch. He put his hands on Zane’s shoulders. Looking him up and down, Atticus could see he at least appeared a little bit better. He didn’t have this air of exhaustion hanging on his shoulders.

“You get some sleep last night? What time did you wake up this morning?” Atticus turned his head and noted that the sun was just coming up over the horizon. He narrowed his eyes and looked back to Zane’s pale face. “Did you sleep at all?”

“Yes mom.” Zane cracked a smirk. “I slept for a full five hours. That is the most I have slept in the last couple of weeks. And besides when I was in a coma, the most consecutive hours I have slept in two years.”

“Five hours isn’t enough to help your body heal Zane. Why are you up?” Atticus slid his hands from Zane’s shoulders. Lacing their fingers, he tugged Zane’s hands, hoping to coax him into the king size bed.

“Sorry buddy. I promised to meet Syrus for breakfast today.” A small smile tugged at his lips. Atticus was well aware that smile was reserved for Syrus alone. “I want to make sure our relationship doesn’t go down that road it was before. I want to be a better big brother.” Zane looked Atticus right in the eyes. “I want to be one like you. Because of you, Syrus grew so much. He gained confidence and managed to defeat a Shadow Rider. I don’t have words for how proud I am of him.”

Atticus smiled, Zane knew how to be a good brother. He loved Syrus more than anything, he just needed to learn how to talk to him. That communication skill will come with time, and Atticus knew Syrus would be willing to be there. He let go of Zane’s hands and nodded his head.

“Well you go have some brotherly bonding. I am going to crash for a couple more hours. We will meet up later. Say hi to Syrus for me,” Atticus said with a laugh. He turned and stripped off his white jacket, flung it carelessly on the back of the couch. He then jumped into the bed and curled up.

Zane actually laughed, and Atticus swore his heart felt lighter. It had been so long since he heard that sound and it made him feel better. Zane wasn’t going to heal overnight, but in time he would. Atticus just had to be patient, they would get there, little by little.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

20 minutes later Zane sat with Syrus in the Card Cafe. The two brothers were seated at the table Zane and Crowler had sat at a couple weeks ago. They both had breakfast sandwiches, and drinks. Syrus was talking with animation. Zane watched the glow of happiness on his younger brother’s face. He was filing Zane in one certain events that happened this year.

“And then Jaden was able to win. You would think that after playing one male monster, he would have learned not to play another. But Blair nearly beat him. And she knew you Zane, apparently you took a few minutes to talk to her after the championship you won two years ago.” Syrus’s bright blue eyes looked at Zane in question. “Does that sound familiar?”

“Yeah, I vaguely remember Blair. I won the final round, and she was the junior champion.” Zane forced himself to think back to that day. He remembered winning and a young girl came rushing up to him. “She asked if she could speak to me for a few minutes. She wore the medal and I knew who she was. I had some time so I agreed to speak with her. She asked me about different strategies and I answered what I could. I told her that if she really wanted it, she could study and train to enroll in Duel Academy when she became old enough.”

“Yeah and she did. She has a massive crush on you Zane.” Syrus dropped the bomb as Zane took a drink of his coffee.

The spit take that happened had Syrus laughing. The couple of people in the cafe looked over to the brothers and noticed Zane coughing into a napkin. Syrus was laughing so hard he had tears coming out of his eyes. The elder Truesdale was normally so composed and collected, that to see him do a spit take was hilarious for the younger. Zane on the other hand found nothing humorous about it.

“Seriously? Did you wait to say that for when I took a drink?” Zane coughed out. He managed to catch his breath and glare at Syrus.

“Actually no. I just said it without thinking and well the results were funny.” Syrus continued to laugh.

Even though Zane could feel heat creeping up his cheeks and he was pissed at what just happened… Syrus’s laughter was infectious. A small chuckle came from between his lips and he laughed a little with Syrus.

“Anyway so yeah that happened. Atticus found out she was too young for the academy and we all walked to the dock where she took the night ferry home. She looked like she was jealous that Atticus was so close with you, but when he said you are best friends it seemed to calm her down a little bit.” Syrus sobered up with a thought. He looked at Zane and the older brother raised a questioning eyebrow. “So you and Atticus are really close huh?”

Zane fought the urge to stiffen. He wasn’t completely comfortable with too many other people knowing the exact status of his relationship with Atticus. He looked at Syrus and the younger stared at him with imploring and questioning eyes. Thinking that in order for a relationship to grow, there needs to be some form of communication.

“Syrus…” Zane trailed off uncomfortably.

“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to Zane. I won’t force you to tell me, but I really hope one day, you feel comfortable enough to tell me. I want you to rely on me, I may be the younger one, but I want you to know that I am always here.” Syrus spoke with such maturity it shocked his older brother.

The fact that Zane missed his mental and emotional growth actually stung. The Syrus before him today, had a confidence and maturity that was a sight to see. However the flip side of that was Syrus was still a child. His ongoing crush on Dark Magician Girl was proof of that… but what did it actually hurt for him to have that?

“I just haven’t told anyone Syrus. Not even mom and dad know about my… preferences.” Zane’s voice was barely above a whisper.

Syrus raised his eyebrows and looked at his brother. He couldn’t understand what Zane was trying to say. He remained silent, he knew his brother shut down when pushed to answer questions. If you wanted to get answers, you needed to play the waiting game, and remain silent until he was ready to talk. Syrus could do just that.

“Atticus and I… we started out as friends. But our first year in the High School portion of Duel Academy, I made a slip. He heard me mutter under my breath ‘that’s not the only reason I love you’ and started to pursue me. I am not fully comfortable with it, so I agreed to try a relationship… provided he kept his mouth shut about it.” His teal eyes met the light blue ones of his brother for a moment before they looked out the window they sat by. “We didn’t get very far in our relationship before I went missing. Truth be told I am shocked he still wants one. I was not an easy person to love to begin with… and now I have even more baggage. I-”

“I never want to hear you talk down about yourself again big brother!” Syrus interrupted. His eyes blazed with fury.

“Sy,” Zane whispered, eyes wide with shock at the vehemence in his younger brother’s voice. As well as the anger in those usually kind eyes.

“I mean it Zane. What you went through wasn’t your fault. Could you have done things differently? Yeah.” Syrus shrugged his shoulders. “You could have told people what was going on. You could have confided in Atticus and let him shoulder some of that, instead of doing it alone. But to second guess yourself now? You can’t keep doing that. You need to allow yourself to heal and constantly second guessing or playing the ‘what if’ game prevents you from doing that.”

Zane couldn’t help the little smile that played with his lips. Syrus was acting like the older brother here and it was equal parts surprising and amusing to Zane. Taking a good look at Syrus sitting across from him, clad in the Slifer Red jacket and his tiny glasses resting on his small nose… he made quite the image. Syrus appeared to be all soft and not hard. However the way this conversation turned, proved Syrus had the spine of steel and was willing to say what needed to be said.

“Thank you Syrus.” Zane lowered his gaze for a moment to get control of his emotions. Raising his gaze once more he looked at Syrus and tried to convey all the love he felt for his younger brother. “Syrus, I am proud of you. I always have been and to see how much you have grown makes me so happy. You have matured in a way that I would have thought would take a long time. And here you are two years later, with a maturity and dueling skill that exceeds what I thought you would manage.”

“Zane…” Syrus trailed off. Tears started leaking from the corner of his eyes and Zane felt himself panic. He had never been good with crying and to see Syrus crying, not from laughter but something else had him near panic. Syrus saw this and took pity on his brother. “I’m not sad Zane. These are tears of happiness. What you just said means the world to me. I have dreamed of the day I would find you and show you the kind of duelist I became.” Syrus swiped at his face and smiled through the tears.

Zane smiled a little uncomfortably, you would think after three years of friendship with Atticus he would be used to dramatic emotions. Maybe because it was Syrus it was different, he couldn’t be sure. But he knew the sight of tears caused panic unlike any other to well up in his chest.

“So you and Atticus are together huh?” Syrus asked suddenly.

A few moments of silence went by, but Zane finally answered. He nodded his head and looked his brother in the eyes. “Yeah, it hadn’t been for long to start and he still wants it apparently.”

“What do you want Zane?” Syrus asked.

The question genuinely shocked Zane. He knew he wanted to still be with Atticus and if he chose to stay behind to repeat the two years he missed, that meant leaving him again. Long distance relationships rarely, if ever, worked out. There were so many things he had to make decisions on soon and the weight felt like a boulder on his shoulders.

“Zane?” Syrus questioned again.

“I still want it, Syrus.” Zane blinked his vision clear and looked around before settling his gaze once again on his insightful younger brother. “He makes me feel as if I am not as cold as I see myself. He brings out a side to me, one that I wish existed more. It works for us and as long as he is willing to be with me, I want to be with him.”

“That’s all that matters Zane. Everything else, healing included will take time. But after what you endured for two years, you deserve to have what you want. I could see there was something more to you and Atticus when he constantly hovered around you. He was always near you and the first to defend when it came down to it. He dueled Camula because of how she talked about you as a prize. He told Chazz to destroy the Dark Scorpions when he realized they had been close enough to have done something to you.” Syrus smiled. “I am just glad you found someone you are willing to let be there for you.”

“Well I clearly don’t just have him Syrus,” Zane said solemnly.

“Huh?” Syrus questioned while cocking his head to the side.

“I have a younger brother who was willing to go through hell for me. I don’t think there are many people as lucky as me in this world.” Zane reached across the table and ruffled Syrus’s hair with a half laugh at the pout he got. “You are really something else Sy. I am honored to be able to say you are my brother.”

“We always have each other’s backs, Zane. That’s what brothers are for,” Syrus’s grin was so wide, it split his face.

“Thank you. This has helped more than you know Syrus. And you are right, as long as I do what is right for me… then the rest can fall into place.”

Zane looked out the window and took another drink of his coffee. Healing would come, and he would be able to find another passion. With a friend like Atticus and a brother like Syrus in his corner, he could navigate this minefield with confidence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap this took forever to get out. I tell you I can't wait to be done with Covid and now that we are getting into the cold and flu season it's even worse. Working 11 to 11 1/2 hours a day is eating into my writing time. This chapter wasn't as long as I would have liked, but I wanted it in here. Syrus can give pretty good advice and Zane needed to hear it from Syrus. I am debating on whether I will write anything for the other seasons. It really will be an AU because certain events won't happen, but I might see what I can come up with. For now we are starting to reach the ultimate climax! What do you all think? What will happen? As always thoughts and comments welcome. Stay safe and healthy everyone!


	28. The Search Commences

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: THE SEARCH COMMENCES

Waking up once again before the sun even came up was what Zane had become used to. He stood outside by the lighthouse with the wind and droplets of water hitting his face. Atticus was still a heavy sleeper as he barely budged when Zane crawled out of bed and made his way out the door.

Closing his eyes, he crossed his arms over his chest and rubbed them to try and stay warm. Nurse Fontaine was still worried he wasn’t putting weight back on like they hoped. His body mass made him feel slightly frail and it irritated him to no end. Opening his eyes, he looked over the horizon and wondered where Professor Banner had disappeared to.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice someone coming up behind him. Strong arms wrapped around his waist, causing Zane to jerk back. Arms snapping out ready to throttle the person who touched him, until he heard a familiar laugh. Growling under his breath he whipped around and glared daggers at Atticus.

“Easy there tiger.” Atticus put his hands up in a placating manner. Eyes dancing with mischief, but Zane could see the worry lurking underneath. “I woke up and you were gone. Had me panicking for a moment, before I realized you probably came out here to clear your head again. You sure do love this place,” Atticus spoke, his eyes turning toward the waves.

Zane looked at him for a moment, guilt creeping into his mind for leaving and not at least writing a note for him. Atticus spent two years looking for him and- a sharp pain stabbed at his head. Sucking in a breath, he placed a hand to the side of his head and took a couple deep breaths. Atticus noticed Zane’s posture and was immediately on high alert.

“What’s wrong? Are you alright?” Atticus asked. Closing the distance, he placed his hands on Zane’s arms and squeezed for reassurance.

After a few tense moments, Zane lowered his hand and nodded his head. His vision was a little blurry, but the pain was subsiding. When he stopped thinking about that train of thought, it eased and he could focus again. He looked at Atticus and worry swept through him. Atticus had rings forming under his eyes and his skin was paler than it should be.

“Are you alright?” Zane asked in lieu of answering the questions.

“Yeah, I would be better if my boyfriend didn’t go off on his own at night.” Atticus smirked, causing Zane to bring his shoulders up defensively. “But yeah, I’m fine. Now what are you doing out here anyway?”

“I needed air. I keep thinking about where Banner could have gone to. With no record of him leaving the island, he has to be around here somewhere. It’s really irritating how he can just disappear and we can’t find him.” Zane’s tone turned dark, and Atticus actually felt a shiver go down his spine.

“We will find him Zane. Chancellor Sheppard has teams combing the island looking for him, he will be found and have to answer for what he did.” Atticus purposely pitched his voice low. He wanted to come off as soothing, to keep Zane from losing his temper and doing something rash. While Zane had a level head 99% of the time, that one percent… very few people lived to tell the tale when he truly lost his temper.

“Yeah, but this waiting portion is what’s driving me insane. I have so many questions, and it still feels like I don’t remember everything. There are… what almost feels like... blank spots in my memory. I can understand about my time in the shadows, but parts of my time here. I feel like there is something… or someone missing.” Zane turned his eyes from the ocean back to Atticus. “Does that make sense, or do I sound like I am losing my mind?”

Atticus looked frozen for a moment. Zane couldn’t figure it out, was he losing his mind, or was there something he was missing? He kept his teal eyes trained on Atticus’s chocolate ones. Zane was always able to read Atticus by looking at his eyes, it was what usually led to him figuring out the strategy Atticus would use during any duel. However this time, they appeared almost shuttered, as if he didn’t want Zane looking too close.

“There are still missing students, Zane. We haven’t been able to find everyone and it’s pretty concerning. Those ‘blank spots’ as you referred to them, could just be attached to the people you interacted with here and in the shadows as well,” Atticus reasoned.

Zane pursed his lips and finally nodded his head. The way Atticus artfully dodged the question said all he needed to hear. There was something he wasn’t telling him, but who was Zane to to judge for such a thing. As long as Atticus doesn’t vanish like he did, Zane was willing not to call him out on it too harshly.

As if a switch was flipped, Atticus smiled widely and turned them both so they were facing the water. Raising his eyebrows, Zane wondered what was going on. He got his answer when an orange tint took to the sky. The sun was rising, and Atticus was forcing him to watch it. Leaning his head on the broad shoulder next to him, Zane decided to let the matter go for now. He was allowed to return to classes this week and was looking forward to it.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

After the sunrise, Atticus dragged Zane back to the dorm and they both got ready. Zane went back to ‘his’ room and changed, while Atticus went to his own. Zane walked by the desk next to his bed and once again noticed the black aura coming from it. Gritting his teeth, he studiously ignored it as he made his way to the closet and grabbed one of his white Obelisk jackets.

“You can’t ignore me forever Kaiser. Make it easy on yourself and release me now. I promise not to harm any close to you again,” the dark sinister voice echoed in his mind.

Zane laughed bitterly. “You really think I am going to fall for that? You forget Hellshroud I know your tricks.” He turned to look toward where his deck was sitting. “You are staying trapped in that card for the rest of eternity. Never again will you walk free in this world.”

With a little more force than necessary, Zane slammed the door to his closet shut. And because the universe hated him, it was that moment Atticus let himself into the room. Eyes widened as the slamming door startled him. Wide eyes glanced around the room to look for any reason that caused Zane to slam the door shut like that. Except there was no obvious reason to be found.

“What was that for?” Atticus asked.

“Nothing. I’m fine,” Zane snapped. Realizing he did, he took a calming breath and walked over to his desk where the textbooks rested. “Ready to go?”

“Yeah,” Atticus looked unconvinced that Zane was fine. Shrugging his shoulders, he walked out of the room, with Zane next to him.

The two of them made their way to the school building, and they found the entire group waiting in the common area. Syrus was berating Chazz for something and the black coat Slifer was smirking at him. Jaden was fuming next to Syrus and Chumley looked ready to kill Chazz. Alexis and Bastion were off to the side looking just as confused as the two Obelisks who reached them.

“It still isn’t cool Chazz!” Syrus yelled.

“What happened Sy?” Zane asked, concerned. Syrus almost never lost his temper and to see him this upset was concerning.

Everyone turned to look at the two top duelists and smiled in greeting. Alexis shot her brother a knowing look, which he countered with one that said ‘keep your mouth shut’. Syrus beamed at his brother, before his light blue eyes returned to glare at Chazz.

“Jay, Chum and I were late waking up today. When we finally did, we rushed to the mess hall only to find that Chazz ate our breakfast! He didn’t even apologize, he just said-”

“You snooze, you lose,” Chazz finished with a smirk.

“Seriously Chazz you can’t keep taking advantage of the fact that Professor Banner…” Jaden trailed off, remembering that Zane was here now. He didn’t want to bring something up that caused problems.

“Professor Banner what, Jaden?” Zane prompted. He didn’t want the Slifer to feel as if he couldn’t speak freely just because of what happened. It was clear that Jaden had been close to the Slifer Dorm Headman.

“That fact that he’s missing,” Jaden finished, his voice quiet. His gold-brown eyes looked at Zane, watching for a reaction.

Zane smiled at him, and shook his head. Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out a couple of granola bars. Syrus beamed, Jaden and Chumley looked at them longingly as three stomachs growled in unison. A soft laugh broke free from Zane and he stepped forward to hand the three of them each a bar. At least they would have something to eat before going to class.

Atticus eyed the bars, his eyes narrowed once he realized those bars were the ones Zane was supposed to eat throughout the day. Nurse Fontaine had told Atticus in private that Zane needed to eat little meals throughout the day to regain his strength and the weight he lost. And here he was giving them to Syrus and his friends. While Atticus was glad to see the relationship between Syrus and Zane was improving every day, he was pissed Zane was ignoring what he needed to do to get better.

Zane, quickly jabbed Atticus in the side, to get him to stop glaring. Syrus was overly sensitive and he didn’t want his younger brother to feel bad for eating when he was clearly hungry. Atticus blinked and looked at the three younger duelists scarfing the bars down. A smile tugged at his lips as he watched them. Alright, maybe he could let Zane have this one. But he was still going to have something to eat.

The class bells chimed and everyone looked up before looking at one another. Atticus and Zane had a duel law class to get to, and the rest had Duel Alchemy. It would be interesting to see who they got as a substitute for that class. No one wanted to teach it, only Banner was insane enough.

With a quick goodbye, and waves, the students parted ways and Atticus gripped Zane’s elbow to drag him to a vending machine quickly before class. Once they were in front of a vending machine, Zane looked at Atticus like he was crazy.

“You can’t be serious,” Zane deadpanned.

“You gave Syrus, Jaden and Chumley those bars that YOU are supposed to eat throughout the day. Don’t think that because I didn’t say anything at the time, I’m letting it go. You are going to pick something out of this machine or we can be late.” Atticus shrugged his shoulders and leaned against the side of the machine. “I don’t care which option you take truthfully. But you always valued punctuality, so here is your choice.”

Zane stared at him, thinking he would change his mind. The next bell chimed and Zane felt dread settle. Atticus really wasn’t budging. He was going to have to give in on this, and it grated his pride to do so. Sighing, he looked at the options and inserting some change, he pressed the button for a cranberry-almond bar. It was the only appetizing thing he saw.

With a smile now on his face, Atticus moved aside and the two of them made their way to the class. Getting there before the final chime, had Zane’s minor anxiety calming. It was stupid to have anxiety over something as small as that, with what he endured for two years.

More students were filing in and some stopped to say hello and ask how he liked studying abroad. Zane’s facial features didn’t change, but he felt his stomach clench. So that was the story they used. Not exactly something he could dispute, he was dueling abroad. Just not any place he would ever want to go again.

He used vague answers and they seemed to accept them. Luckily he was never a talker to begin with, so people didn’t question when he refused to give details. Atticus caught the little signs that something wasn’t right and placed his hand on Zane’s thigh for comfort. It was clear he needed it, he was good at hiding his emotions, but Atticus had learned early on to read subtle cues when it came to Zane.

He was about to snap at people to leave him alone, when Professor Danlos walked in and called the class to attention. Everyone made their way to their seats and sat down. Professor Danlos pulled out his book and the lesson began.

Zane forgot how monotone the instructor is. His tone never changed and glancing around, he noticed a number of people nodding off. It was early in the morning, one of the worst times to take this class. It didn’t help that the times changed when teachers needed to move their schedules. According to his class schedule, this class was usually the last one of the day, but today it was moved up so Dr. Crowler could cover Professor Banner’s Alchemy class.

The door at the front of the room opened and in walked Dr. Crowler. He was covered in dust, and his eyebrows appeared to be missing for some reason. The most curious thing though was the fact that there was a strange symbol on his forehead, reaching down the bridge of his nose. Atticus, who had been slouched over, a hand resting on his palm, sat up straight at the sight.

The two of them exchanged a look and tried not to laugh. Professor Danlos looked at Dr. Crowler in question and the eccentric teacher walked over and whispered something to the other. They spoke quietly together before Professor Danlos nodded and turned back to the class.

“Atticus Rhodes and Zane Truesdale.” He met both of their eyes. “Chancellor Sheppard would like a word with you both. You are excused, make sure you read chapter 35 sections 15-36 and 40-59. I advise you to take notes.”

Both Zane and Atticus shared a look and stood up. Collecting their textbooks, they made their way down the steps to where Dr. Crowler was waiting for them. He smiled lightly and nodded in greeting to his two favorite duelists. They made their way out of the classroom and noticed the rest of the group.

“So is this a Key Meeting?” Atticus asked.

“Chancellor Sheppard will explain everything once we reach his office,” Dr. Crowler responded.

The group comprised of Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, Chazz, Bastion, Alexis as well as Atticus and Zane all made their way to Chancellor Sheppard’s office, lead by Dr. Crowler. There was very little talking and Atticus noticed Jaden seemed rather down. It was concerning to see the usually upbeat and hyper duelist so despondent.

They reached the door and Dr. Crowler opened it to let everyone in. Chancellor Sheppard sat behind his large desk, his hands clasped together in front of him. He had a somber look on his face, and they all know right then, the news was not good. All eight students stood in front of the desk, while Dr. Crowler walked around and stood next to Chancellor Sheppard.

“Welcome, thank you all for coming.” He stood up and placed his hands behind his back. “I have gotten the preliminary reports from my search teams. It appears that Professor Banner is still missing.”

“What do you mean ‘still missing’? Professor Banner couldn’t have just vanished into thin air!” Jaden exclaimed. “People don’t just do that, they have to be somewhere.”

Zane felt himself stiffen slightly. Just the mention of such a thing had him tensing for battle. Atticus, without looking away from Chancellor Sheppard, brushed the backs of the hands together and gave a quick squeeze to his fingers before letting them rest against one another.

“I understand that Jaden. The bottom line is, we have looked everywhere. I’m having my teams switch positions and do another look. To see if something was missed. But as of now, there is nothing we have found.” Chancellor Sheppard closed his eyes and brought his arms around to cross them at his front. “We simply can’t find him.”

“And to top it off, there’s no log of him leaving the island,” Dr. Crowler chimed in. His eyes held worry, which was unusual. He crossed his arms and looked at each of the students standing before him.

“So then I think we all know what happened. Banner got sucked into the shadows,” Chazz said without thinking. When what he said registered, he froze and looked at Zane, as did everyone else.

“No need to worry about me,” Zane assured them, his tone void of any emotion as were his eyes. “The only question I would have in response to that is why? Even if he lured that group of us to the shadows, would he really allow himself to be dragged there? He doesn’t have a key, so the last Shadow Rider wouldn’t be interested in him.”

“Truesdale.” Sheppard waited until Zane met his gaze. He knew how to read the teen and he wanted access to his eyes. “Can you remember anything about the last Shadow Rider? Who it is? Or just something about them?”

Zane narrowed his eyes, trying to think. It still felt like something was blocking different memories, but thinking about the shadows didn’t cause the stabbing pain. Sighing, he shook his head in slight defeat.

“Unfortunately not. I don’t think I even met the Seventh Shadow Rider. The ones I had the most contact with were Camula, Tania and the Dark Scorpions. I met Titan shortly before the attacks started, but he seemed to be a last minute recruit. And he was absolutely there willingly.” Zane looked at Sheppard for a moment before looking over his shoulder out the large window. “From what I can remember, no one really met the Seventh Shadow Rider. Nor the one pulling the strings, it was just a voice. The only other person I have this vague impression of was named Amnael. He worked closely with the one pulling the strings.”

“I remember that,” Syrus whispered. He and Jaden shared a look, but neither elaborated on what it meant.

“Then it seems as if there may be two or more opponents coming our way.” Sheppard looked at his old student with concern. “I will continue to have my teams searching and you all be on guard. If any of you notice anything, please bring it to my attention. Do not go anywhere alone, any of you. The Shadow Riders are willing to do anything to win, and that includes harming innocents.” His gaze touched on each of the eight students in front of him.

“I really feel like the Shadow Riders have something to do with this,” Jaden said suddenly. His gaze down on the carpet. Everyone turned to look at him. “I have this gut feeling that the last Shadow Rider is responsible for what happened to Professor Banner. I just don’t know what it is they did.”

“You all are dismissed. I have informed your instructors you all are doing extra curricular errands for me today. Just make sure you complete your homework and turn it in. Have your decks ready, this won’t be an easy battle.”

With that, the eight of them exited the room and they all made their way outside. Once outside, Chazz stopped walking and tapped Syrus on the shoulder. The shorter duelist looked at him in confusion as did the rest. His black eyes looked at Syrus, appearing to try and figure something out himself, but then decided to ask.

“Syrus, what did you mean when you said, ‘I remember that’?” Chazz questioned. He looked at Jaden next. “You two shared a look, now fill us in.”

Syrus sighed and looked at Jaden again. They appeared to have a silent conversation before nodding both their heads. Syrus looked at Zane next and for the life of him, Zane couldn’t figure out what the look his younger brother sent him was. But then determination flashed and he squared his thin shoulders.

“When Zane was missing, Atticus gave me Cyber End Dragon to hold on to. Remember how we explained that the card was connected to my brother Chazz?” Syrus waited until Chazz nodded his head. “Well one of the things I saw was a person named Amnael trying to brainwash Zane into being Hell Kaiser.” Light blue eyes slid to Zane for a moment once more, before looking back at Chazz. “So Zane remembering vaguely about Amnael reminded me of that vision. It was horrible to see him like that and someone trying to steal his memories. I just-”

“Syrus, take a breath,” Zane said soothingly.

Syrus sucked in a breath and realized that he hadn’t taken one since he started talking. Zane moved closer and patted his shoulder, trying to find some way to comfort his brother. Yes, he was the one that lived through it, but Sy is younger and much more sensitive. Syrus didn’t need to see what he endured during that time there.

“What happened, happened and we can’t change it. No matter how much we may want to. Now we just need to focus on finding Banner. And the five of you need to be ready to battle for the keys.” Zane looked at them and squeezed his brother’s shoulder.

Atticus cracked a smile and put his hands behind his head. “Well, we have a day without classes. Such a shame for you Zane. You missed out on Professor Danlos’s lovely monotone voice,” Atticus joked.

Rolling his eyes, Zane walked away from Syrus and started to leave. Atticus could be too much when he was trying to lighten the mood. In hindsight, he really should have known Atticus wasn’t letting him too far out of reach. An arm was thrown around his shoulders and the brunette was beside him in an instant.

“Truthfully I forgot how droll his tone is. It could put anyone to sleep,” Zane responded when they were halfway to the dorm.

“True, but at least he knows his legalities. Can’t say we won’t be ready for anything when we leave here.” Atticus looked sideways at Zane. “So have you thought anymore on what you want to do?”

Zane stopped walking and looked at Atticus. Truthfully, he hadn’t had much time to. He spent most of his free time, catching up on what was expected in the classes he was taking. You also add in the fact he had a demonic entity in his mind 24/7 now, there wasn’t much time to himself.

“Not much,” he answered truthfully. “I have spent most of my time catching up on what I need to know. You will be the second person to know when I decide, Atticus, I promise.”

Atticus raised his eyebrows as they walked into the Obelisk Cafe. “The second?”

“Well I will be the first.” Zane’s response was so deadpan and sarcastic, it left Atticus shocked. The look on his face had Zane wishing he had a camera to take a picture.

“Dude, did-did you just crack a joke?” Atticus stuttered out. His jaw was open and slack, his eyes wide and glinting with surprise.

Zane used his fingers to close his jaw and smirked. “Maybe you have managed to rub off on me Bucky. But in all seriousness, I will tell you when I decide. Hell if you want to go with me to Sheppard when I make my decision, you can. But for now, we have a decent amount to read for this class today. And any other classes that we missed. So I plan on getting that done early.”

With that parting comment, Zane turned around and made his way to the staircase. He was halfway up when Atticus snapped out of his stupor and used his long legs to catch up. Zane stopped at the top and waited for Atticus to reach him. Once he did, he did the one thing Zane wasn’t expecting.

With one hand, he guided Zane’s face to his and kissed him. With everyone in class, he figured he was safe. Zane was tense, but felt himself relax marginally and pulled back after a minute. It wasn’t a rushed kiss, but one of comfort.

“That’s all I ask. Now let’s get this stupid homework done and see if we can find anything relating to Banner,” Atticus said with a smile.

“Yeah, I want answers and the sooner we find him, the sooner that happens,” Zane responded, his tone as icy as his eyes.

Atticus looked to his boyfriend and actually felt a little sorry for Banner when they found him. Zane’s furry, when unleashed was a painful thing to experience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this took so long! I was going to get it out sooner, but the chapter disappeared off my computer. So I am posting it the moment it was done this time. No waiting for me. Now for this chapter, I wanted to divide the episode into two parts. Since I will show how things go down for the group from all sides. Syrus, Jaden, Chumley and Chazz during their search party. Alexis doing her searching, before she goes to team up with Atticus and Zane. And finally the searching with the two lovebirds. LOL. It will be interesting, and I am hoping to remember enough of what I wrote for that to convey it. Now next chapter there will be a surprise guest appearance. Any ideas on who it is? As always thoughts and comments welcome. Let me know you you think. Hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday. I am wishing everyone a safe and happy New Year. We deserve it!


	29. The Seventh Shadow Rider

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: THE SEVENTH SHADOW RIDER

Syrus was walking with Jaden and Chumley as they followed Chazz into the forest. None of them had any idea where to start with searching for Professor Banner. Truth be told, Syrus wasn’t sure if was even concerned about Banner’s wellbeing. He was at least partially responsible for what happened to his brother.

Chazz was walking ahead of them, looking around the trees for any sign of Professor Banner. Honestly, Syrus wasn’t sure this was even working. Jaden had a smirk on his face, as they followed the dark haired Slifer.

“Jay,” Syrus started. Jaden turned around and looked at Syrus. “We don’t even know Banner’s last steps. How’s this even going to work?”

Jaden’s smirk widened and he laughed. “It probably isn’t. But by humoring Chazz, we can let him look like an idiot. This is for eating our breakfast this morning,” Jaden responded with an evil glint in his eyes.

Syrus and Chumley looked at Jaden with shock for a moment. The three Slifers shared a look, and all smirked. Turning their attention to where the other member of their search party was, the feeling of glee spread through them. Chazz, still clad in his black jacket and outfit, was a little further ahead of them. He was looking around the trees and foliage. Looking for any sign of the missing professor. He looked like an idiot. Their payback was in the making, and it was sweet.

“Wait, can I just laugh at him instead?” Syrus suddenly asked.

Jaden turned around and looked at him. “Well you can still do that, but this is so much more fun.”

“QUIET!” Chazz shouted. He turned and looked at them. “The Chazz is on the job!”

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Atticus finished taking the last of his notes for his Duel Legalities class, he looked next to him where Zane was taking the last of his. Zane had his pen resting against his cheek as he sat cross legged on the floor, his textbook in his lap. Atticus noticed how from this view Zane looked just like he used to. When the three of them would study in one of their dorm rooms, Zane and Yusuke would have their books in their laps and Atticus would lay on his stomach reading.

“So how are you feeling after this?” Atticus asked.

Zane looked over at him, and blew out a breath. “Well… my brain feels completely fried now. I don’t feel like I can take anymore notes on this.”

Atticus laughed and leaned over to put his head on Zane’s shoulder. “Well, so there is a limit to how much information can be stored in that brain of yours.”

Zane snorted and shoved at Atticus’ shoulder, before wrapping an arm around him. Atticus smiled and nuzzled into the one armed hug. Suddenly he felt Zane stiffen, and the arm slid from his shoulders, to allow Zane to pull back.

Atticus looked over at him and noticed he was glaring at the nightstand where his deck was sitting. The sight made him think back to when Zane mentioned he still heard the voice of that entity. It was disconcerting to say the least, knowing that this thing still had access to Zane and could taunt and torment him when it wanted.

Reaching over, he gripped Zane’s chin forcing him to meet his eyes. Zane’s teal eyes had a slightly far off look. The look was far too close to what he looked like when his memories were still sealed away. Leaning in he gave Zane a quick peck on the lips, hoping to distract him from whatever the demon was saying.

Pulling back, he was happy to see Zane’s eyes looked clearer and a blush stained his cheeks. Smiling, he stood up and walked over to where Zane’s deck was at. He reached down and grabbed it. The top card was Cyber End Dragon and it still gave off warmth. He flipped through the cards and came across the one he was looking for. The card was still suspended in the center, with chains around it. In a strange feeling, Atticus felt as if it was freezing. The card’s aura was bitterly cold and black. It was so strong, he swore he could see black tendrils coming from the center of the card.

Fingers snapped the card out his hand before he could think too much on it. Looking to his right, he saw Zane standing there. Teal eyes looking down at the card, before he placed it in his pocket. He shook his head suddenly, as if trying to clear it, and took his deck from Atticus next.

“Let’s see what we can find out there. I don’t feel right leaving the first years like Syrus and his friends to search for Banner.” Zane forced a smile at Atticus. “Besides, I want to get some answers before he’s taken away.”

Atticus smiled, the two walked out of the room. The brunette dragged his boyfriend into his dorm room, so he could grab his duel disk. He wanted to be prepared, he would make sure Zane didn’t feel the need to duel here. He still wasn’t entirely comfortable with it, he worried about that entity making a comeback. So Atticus decided he would make sure he was ready to duel to keep Zane from feeling he had to.

Sliding the disk on his forearm, he tapped his deck holster attached to his hip. Turning around, he found Zane standing on the balcony looking out over the forest. His shoulders were moving up and down as if he was laughing. Curious as to what was making him laugh, Atticus moved next to him and saw the four Slifers on the edge of the tree line.

“How do we find Banner once we get to the Alchemy Mark?” Chumley asked. His face was flushed and he looked as if he were tired from all the searching.

Chazz turned around and smirked at them. “Easy, we find his cat, Pharaoh.” Chazz held up the cat toy he had tried using before. Waving it around, he looked very proud of himself. “Using this, we can find him. No cat can resist this toy.”

Neither Obelisk could see the faces of the Slifers as they shifted, but it wasn’t too hard to imagine their looks of aggravation and confusion. Jaden shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. Atticus could picture Jaden grimacing while looking at Chazz.

“Chazz… haven’t you tried this before?” Jaden questioned.

Suddenly Syrus’ hand shot in the air and he waved it around. “Ooh, ooh! I have an idea!”

Atticus could hear the excitement and the deviousness in the younger Truesdale’s voice. The sound had Atticus leaning forward, wishing he were close enough to know what was going on. Suddenly Zane let out a soft bark of a laugh.

“I think I know what Sy is going to do.” Zane smirked down and leaned his arms on the white railing, his eyes never leaving his brother and friends. “Syrus can have a devious mind, or a childish mind depending on the situation. In this case, it might be a mixture of both.”

Chazz stopped waving the cat toy around and looked suspiciously at Syrus. Everyone knew how he and Jaden had been on the receiving end of Sy’s revenge. So it wasn’t a surprise that he was leary of Syrus’ idea.

Syrus moved forward and Atticus could picture the younger trying to put on a sincere smile. Suddenly he launched forward and began doing something to Chazz’s face. The taller Slifer was frozen in shock while Syrus did what he wanted. Syrus backed up and Atticus could see black lines on Chazz’s face. Given the cat toy in his hand, it wasn’t a stretch to think those would be cat whiskers.

Syrus backed up and Atticus could see a small marker in his hand. “There, now Pharaoh will think you’re a cat.”

Chazz was frozen, he looked like a kid dressed for Halloween. A black smudge on his nose, three lines on both of his cheeks and the dark clothes he wore, he looked like a large, black cat. You add in the toy in his hand, he made a hilarious sight.

“You need to work on a convincing meow. Go on, try one,” Syrus said as he stood next to Chumley and Jaden. They all started laughing at the black haired Slifer.

Chazz was in front of them and fuming. His hands clenched into fists and Atticus swore he could see flames in the dark eyes. His eyes narrowed and he pulled his lips back, almost in a snarl.

“How about I show you my claws, instead?!” Chazz spat out. He lunged at the trio, only for them to turn and run into the forest. “Yeah, you slackers better run!” Chazz gave chase and the group of four disappeared into the forest where their laughter and shouted threats could be heard.

Atticus laughed as he straightened up. One thing was for sure, those first years made things interesting. He was extremely glad he befriended Jaden, Chumley and Chazz as well as Syrus. Looking to his right, he stared at Zane. Zane was still looking out to the trees where the others had run, his eyes were alight with laughter.

“So you were right.” Atticus waited until Zane looked at him. “Syrus’ mind is something of an enigma. It can be devious and childish… or both depending on the situation. But he gets his point across.”

Zane smiled, a true, brotherly smile. He straightened and looked at Atticus, his shoulders shaking with laughter. “Syrus will always be Syrus. But that’s what makes him… him I guess is the best way to put it.” He shrugged his shoulders.

“Well come on, let’s meet up with Alexis and see what we can find. Banner will be found, one way or another.” Chocolate eyes went stone hard. “I plan on getting all my questions answered here.”

“You go on ahead and find your sister. I want to stop and talk to Sheppard about something with my classes,” Zane said.

Atticus looked at him and raised his eyebrows. He really didn’t want to let Zane out of his sight with the threat of the final Shadow Rider hanging over their heads. However, if he was going to meet Sheppard, then there was that level of protection.

“All right. You head to Sheppard’s office, I will meet you there after I get Lexi.”

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Alexis was in her room, finishing her homework. Closing the book, she stood up and stretched her arms above her head. She wanted to make sure that her homework was done and notes were taken. She was the top female duelist of the school, so she had a reputation to uphold.

Walking over to her bedside stand, she reached down and grabbed her deck and duel disk. Everyone had agreed they would look for Professor Banner. She wanted answers as well, mainly so her brother could have some closure. His two closest friends were two of the ones taken and one of them had turned out to be his boyfriend. Now there were more questions than answers.

She had only met Zane a couple of times before he went missing, but the interactions she saw between her Atticus and Zane were genuine. They were clearly feelings on both sides, and she was pissed that Banner had gotten in the middle of that, ripping them apart.

She walked by her large, glass window. The white, sheer curtains she had blew as the window opened. She turned around and was shocked to see a large white tiger looking at her.The large white tiger had black stripes and a gold collar. She knew instantly that it was the same tiger that Tania had transformed into.

“What are you doing here?” Alexis demanded. She felt her spine snap straight, this was a Shadow Rider. One they beat sure, but that didn’t change facts. “How are you back? You come to try and take my key again?”

“No sister, I am here to give you a warning.” The voice echoed around her, even though the tiger’s mouth never moved.

“A warning?” Alexis said incredulously. She raised an eyebrow and placed a hand on her hip. “What would you want to warn me about?”

“You have learned that Amnael is the seventh Shadow Rider. I need to warn you what he might do. I saw the one you called a brother, his reaction to when Bastion asked me about Hell Kaiser-”

“Hold on,” Alexis interrupted. She put a hand out to stop Tania from speaking. “Amnael is the seventh Shadow Rider? We thought they were two different people.” She placed a hand to her forehead.

“No sister.” The tiger shook its head sadly. “Amnael is the last Shadow Rider, as well as being the one behind gathering all of us. There is someone above us all, but Amnael is the right hand. He was told to make himself known now. He will be coming after all of you, using anything, or anyone, he can as bait,” Tania’s voice was sad.

“What do you mean he will use ‘anything or anyone’ as bait?” Alexis asked, worried. She had a sick feeling in her stomach.

“It’s obvious that at least two of the Key Keepers are close to Hell Kaiser. To someone like Amnael and the head of us, he will be perfect bait. I do not particularly care what happens to males… however I feel connected to you. As a fellow sister, I want to make sure you know what the danger is.”

With that final warning, Tania in the tiger form, faded from where she was. Alexis looked open mouthed at the spot. She was jerked back to reality when there was a knocking on her door. When she didn’t answer it right away, the knocking became more insistent and she heard her brother’s voice.

“Alexis!” That was all it took for her to move to the door and open it. Atticus looked at his sister and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Are you alright? What happened?”

“Where’s Zane?” she asked suddenly. Atticus was a helicopter partner with Zane at the moment, not wanting him out of his sight. Yet he was noticeably absent.

“He went to speak with Sheppard. Why?” Atticus narrowed his eyes. “Is there something you know that I don’t?”

Alexis sucked in a breath and shoved her brother out the door. She strapped her duel disk to her forearm and moved out with him. Turning, she started sprinting out of the Obelisk Blue Girls dorm, with Atticus right on her heels. He caught up to her easy and looked at her, the look in his eyes telling her she needed to talk.

“Tania came to warn me. She said that Amnael IS the seventh Shadow Rider, and on top of that, he is known to use people as bait to lure in his opponents.” Alexis turned her attention back to sprinting across campus, with her brother hot on her heels.

“And how do you know this Alexis?” Atticus asked as he kept pace with her. Using her full name, he showed how pissed he was.

“Tania’s tiger form showed up in my room… well I am guessing that it was her. It was the white tiger with the gold collar, you know the one she turned into.” Alexis shook her head, her long blonde hair shifting across her face. Gold eyes were wide with panic and worry. “Anyway, she said that he will use people to lure us in. And think about the perfect target to use. You and Zane are in a relationship and he’s Sy’s older brother.”

The implication hit Atticus with the equivalent force of a bomb. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself further and faster to reach Sheppard’s office. The entire time, Alexis looked at her brother, praying that Zane was still with Chancellor Sheppard and not wandering around alone.

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Zane had just finished talking to Sheppard about some of the things for his classes, as well as told him the decision he made. He wasn’t entirely convinced it was the right decision, but he was willing to try it. People believed in him, and he wanted to believe in himself enough to have the courage to go forward.

He walked out of the office, feeling as if part of the weight was off his shoulders. He knew Atticus would be coming by to look for him, however he still could not stand being enclosed in four walls. Thinking it wouldn't be too big of a problem, he waited outside and soaked up some sun.

Once outside, he relished in having the sun touch his face again. Two years in the darkness and shadows, made him truly appreciate the sun on his skin. He turned his head to the sky and closed his eyes for a moment. He leaned his back against the building and let his mind wander for a moment, Cyber End was keeping the entity at bay for the time being and he was left alone with his thoughts.

To his right, there was a strange sound that caught his attention. Opening his eyes, he turned his head to the direction and noticed a strange, neon green symbol. It took only a moment to place it, but once he did, the air left his lungs in a rush. The circular shape was the same as the Mark of Amnael that was used to wipe his memories.

He took a step back and felt the fight or flight instinct kick in. He felt Cyber End Dragon send a flood of warmth to him, trying to calm him down. His heart was racing, and panic like he never felt before settled in his gut. The feeling of knowing his worst nightmare was not far from him, sent him sprinting from the area.

Barely making it to the edge of the trees, he stopped himself. Straightening his shoulders, he realized he couldn’t keep running. They had taken not only two years of his life, but stole his memories and controlled his mind, body and soul. He was tired of feeling controlled and ruled by the fear.

Determination flooded his veins and heated his blood, he made the decision to fight. Screw running away at this point, he was going to stand his ground and make this person pay for what they did to him. His campus nickname ‘Kaiser’ was well earned. He used to duel with no mercy, he dominated his opponents, leaving them little to no room to win.

Turning around, he narrowed his teal eyes at the person who haunted his nightmares just as much as the demonic entity now trapped in the card. Amnael’s form shimmered to existence in front of him. His face is still covered by the mask and scarf. His form was concealed by the large gray hooded cloak. The wind blew the red scarf/tie around him.

Zane stared at the person, as he kneeled down. He realized that Amnael was putting a duel disk on the ground, and proceeded to kick it over to where Zane stood a number of feet away. The disk slid to a stop in front of him, and Zane looked down at it with trepidation. The nagging feeling of uneasiness was still there, but the determination to stand against Amnael was growing.

“You really sure you want to duel me?” Zane questioned, his tone acidic.

Amnael simply looked at him. “I am going to see for myself if you are able to still manage without the aid of Hellshroud,” Amnael said suddenly.

Zane flinched at the distorted voice. Truthfully he hadn’t expected the man to respond, so when he did, it sent freezing cold shivers down his spine. Reaching down, he grabbed the duel disk and attached it to his left forearm and pulled out his deck. The black tendrils appeared from the cards and he flinched when they wrapped around his wrist. It was the same feeling as when the physical mask attached to him and took complete control.

“You can’t escape me Kaiser. Together we will destroy all who stand in our way,” the voice hissed into his mind.

“Not happening. I will stand against him myself,” Zane shot back in a harsh whisper. Taking a breath, he slammed the cards into his duel disk. Looking back to where Amnael stood with his duel disk attached and arm at the ready position.

“Are you ready for the Shadows once more?” Amnael asked, tauntingly.

“Not likely. If anyone is going back to the shadows, it’s you,” Zane shot back, furry rushing through him.

“Game on!” they both shouted in unison.

Amnael drew a card and set it face down in defense mode. Looking to the cards in his hand once more, he placed a card facedown and motioned for Zane to take his turn. Zane looked at the facedown monster as well as the spell or trap card he placed facedown. To top it off, he went first. That in itself was concerning, since all the Shadow Riders knew that Zane was better off going second, with his Cyber Deck.

Drawing a card, he looked down at his hand. He had two of his Cyber Dragons in his hand. There was also Different Dimension Capsule, Polymerization and Mystical Space Typhoon. A quick plan came to mind, and he prayed it worked.

“First off I summon Cyber Dragon in attack mode.” Zane placed the monster card on his duel disk. The Cybernetic monster broke through the ground and curled around its master, the stance clearly protective. “Next I activate the magic of Different Dimension Capsule.” An Egyptian sarcophagus appeared in front of him. “Now I can take one card from my deck and put it in the capsule. And in two turns, the card comes back to my hand.”

Zane pulled his deck out and looked through it. His last Cyber Dragon was near the bottom of his deck, so he pulled it out and put it in the capsule. The holographic capsule then vanished into the ground, taking the card with it. This would allow him to summon Cyber End Dragon in a couple of turns. He looked at the facedown card and squinted at it, a flash of uneasiness came again. He knew there had to be a trap somewhere. Why else would Amnael allow him to go second?

“Next I play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your facedown.” A harsh gust of swirling wind came forward and destroyed the facedown card. Amnael barely flinched and Zane decided to see how much he could decimate him. “Cyber Dragon attack! Strident Blast!”

The Cyber Dragon was all too willing to obey. It uncurled itself from around its master and launched at the facedown monster. Zane hoped the monster didn’t have more than 2100 defense points. The attack landed, and the monster flipped up. It disappeared so quickly, his eyes didn’t even catch what monster it was. But Cyber Dragon was still standing and he had not taken any lifepoint damage.

“With that I end my turn,” Zane said, his tone betraying none of the internal struggle he was dealing with. He felt his heart beating erratically, and wondered vaguely if he was going to have a heart attack. His mind was racing, trying to figure out Amnael’s game.

Amnael looked at him and drew a card. With a quick glance down, he placed two more cards facedown and motioned for Zane to make his next move. The fact that Amnael didn’t play a single monster to help guard him set up alarm bells in his mind. Before Zane could draw a card, Amnael spoke.

“You are certainly living up to your nickname of ‘Kaiser’. Even though I sense fear coming from you, there is no hesitation. You are dueling just as you are known for; without mercy. You wish to see your opponents crushed. While you show respect to your opponents, you don’t let that cloud your thoughts on victory. It’s why you were able to defend all your classmates and rose to the challenge. It is also why Yusuke gave you the mask.”

At the mention of Yusuke, Zane felt a stab inside his mind. As if someone took a flaming knife and stabbed his head multiple times. His knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground. Gripping his head, he shook it back and forth. Trying desperately to rid himself of the pain, knowing he would need to focus to make it out of this duel and avoid being captured once more.

“Interesting, it seems as if mentioning your friend causes you pain,” Amnael observed. He stared impassively at the older teen on his knees, a sting of pity for the pain he was obviously enduring. “I know that when your brother, Syrus, beat Titan, it unlocked your memories. Why is there pain associated with this name?” He posed the question, although he truly didn’t expect an answer.

As usual, Zane surprised him. He pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly side to side, but he managed to find his footing. Raising his head, he shot Amnael a look full of venom and hate. His pale face had sweat dripping down it, his eyes were glassy with agony, but he was on his feet and ready to fight.

“As if you don’t know where this pain comes from,” Zane snapped out. He shook his head once more. “You were the one who put me through the tortures of Hell. Banner may have led all of us to that basement, but you were the one who took joy and pleasure doing those things to us. All those duels, the pain and torment our minds and bodies went through.” Zane forced his spine to straighten, he would not bow or show weakness to this monster in human form anymore. “I am putting a stop to it here and now. I won’t let you anywhere near my brother, nor my friends.”

With a surprising amount of force, Zane drew a card. Amnael would not call it an exaggeration to say a blast of power came from the teen. Zane was heaving for breath as he looked at his card. It was Powerbond, a card that held a special bond to his younger brother. A brother that had fought to get him back and eventually succeeded. A brother that was determined to protect him and did everything in his power to bring him back. Zane smiled bitterly, now he would be the one to protect Syrus, as an older brother should.

“I activate the spell card, Polymerization.” Zane placed the card in the holder on the disk. “By fusing the Cyber Dragon on my field, with the one in my hand, I am able to summon Cyber Twin Dragon.” A light shone from his deck holster on his hip, and he pulled out Cyber Twin Dragon. Cyber End Dragon was sharing some of its power with its counterpart.

The twin headed cybernetic dragon appeared on the field in a flash of lightning. Zane felt some power coursing through him, he wouldn’t go down without a fight. And if he happened to fall here, he was going to take Amnael with him. He wouldn’t let anyone else go through what he did. The dragon raised both its heads in a deafening roar.

Amnael unconsciously took a step back. He wasn’t banking on Zane to put up such a fight. He was hoping that his fear of losing control to Hellshroud, would make him second guess his moves. However the teen was dueling as he was known for, with the force of and calculation of a Kaiser.

“With my dragon, two heads really are better than one. Because now my dragon can attack twice in a turn, which means double the trouble for you and your lifepoints Amnael!” Zane snapped out. His teal eyes blazed to life with fury, pushing the pain to the side. “Cyber Twin Dragon, attack! Double Strident Blast!” Zane slashed his arm to the side as he gave the order.

Amnael jerked his hand to the side to reveal his facedown. “I activate my trap card, Magic Cylinder.”

Zane felt the color leave his face, it was one the facedowns he placed his last turn. Bracing his body, he felt the blast hit him and knock him backwards. He landed on his back, looking at the sky, he felt searing pain shoot through his body. The electrical shock went through his body and he was sure for a moment he felt his heart stop. He forced himself back up and glared daggers at Amnael.

“Well I give you that one. I can admit when I walk into a trap, but I am willing to bet that you only have one of those.” When Amnael went absolutely still, Zane smirked in satisfaction. “And my dragon has one more attack left. So let me give you a taste of what that attack feels like. Cyber Twin Dragon, attack him again. Make it hurt!”

The twin headed dragon did as Zane ordered and attacked Amnael once more. As predicted, Amnael didn’t have a backup plan for the second attack. The blast hit him square on and he was flung back the same way Zane was. Forcing his body up, he had to concede to himself that the teen was more promising than they thought, and they had high expectations for him as it was.

“With that I end my turn. Your move,” Zane said in between struggling for breath.

The blast from his own dragon had really hit him hard. He hadn’t expected it hurt so bad, given that he spent two years dueling in the shadows. The number of Shadow Games he was involved in were too many to count. So he couldn’t figure out why this hurt so bad, why it was enough to have him feeling as if he was gasping for breath.

“I must commend you my boy,” Amnael spoke as he drew a card. Zane looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “You aren’t letting yourself be ruled by fear, you are willing to sacrifice yourself to take me down. Do you know why the attack from your own monster hurt so much?”

“I have a feeling you will enlighten me,” Zane spat out. He finally managed to feel as if he was getting enough oxygen into his lungs and got his heartbeat under control.

“It is not just because this is a Shadow Game.” The wind blew around the two duelists, shifting clothes and Zane’s hair. It was an icy wind and it felt as if cold fingers gripped his body in a tight grip as Amnael spoke. “Because of your bond to Cyber End Dragon and the components that make it up, you are more susceptible to its attacks. I believe the saying is ‘nothing hurts you more than those close to you.’ So even though Cyber End Dragon is the true duel spirit, any component or counterpart of it has the connection to you. Mind, body and soul, you are connected on all levels.”

Zane simply looked at him. Something about the way he was speaking, it reminded him dimly of Professor Banner. A chilling thought entered is head, what if Amnael and Professor Banner were really one in the same? Shaking his head, he shoved the thought out of his mind. They were tied in terms of lifepoints, both were at 1200, and he needed to focus on the duel. While he had a low opinion of Banner, he didn’t want to believe the professor would do what Amnael did to him.

“Quit spouting nonsense. Cyber End Dragon is connected to me, I will concede that. However, I know no part of it will harm me. Make your damn move, I will end you… one way or another,” Zane said. By the end of his statement, he was whispering. Shifting his duel disk to right in front of him, he looked down at his deck. The dark tendrils were becoming more prominent and wrapping tightly around his arm now. He narrowed his eyes, trying to keep the voice at bay.

“I suppose you are right.” Amnael looked down at his cards and sighed. He would have to end him sooner than he thought. If Zane was going to be fighting back this aggressively then he was more of a threat than either of the two leaders thought. He placed a card in the spell and trap zone. “I activate my special effect card. When I have less than 2000 lifepoints, I can activate this card to destroy your monster and you take damage equal to its attack points.”

If Zane had any color either left in his face or coming back, it was gone in an instant. He only had 1200 lifepoints and his Cyber Twin Dragon has 2800. There was no way for him to survive this turn. When Amnael played the card, a meteor shower rained down around them and it melted Cyber Twin Dragon before him. The monster let out a cry of agony and Zane felt his heart constrict. Once the monster was destroyed, the raining fire came for him.

The blasts hit him and knocked him off his feet once more. He was slammed against a tree and the air left his lungs in a rush. His remaining 1200 lifepoints depleted and he sagged against the tree. His shoulders slumping and he gasped for breath. Amnael walked up to him and pulled out the cursed book. Zane looked up at him with half lidded eyes, he was suddenly exhausted. Praying for any kind of mercy, to not be turned once more into Hell Kaiser.

Amnael opened the book, and the green symbol flashed before his vision once more. Kneeling down, Amnael placed a hand on Zane’s shoulder. “I am doing this to protect you now. The next card you would have drawn would have been Hellshroud’s mask. You were growing weak with the damage you took from your own monster’s attack. To top it off, you never truly gave your body and mind time to recover. You kept pushing, trying to remember. But that now can all end. Just close your eyes, you will simply go to sleep now.”

Zane’s head rolled to the side and he felt his eyes droop. True exhaustion was now claiming his mind. If Amnael was correct, then the next turn may have turned into what he truly wished would never happen again. He felt Amnael run a hand over his hair and pat his head, in a sickening parody of what a father would do to a child he was proud of.

“I’m sorry that I have to do this to you once more. But you are the perfect bait to lure the remaining Key Keepers to me. With Atticus loving you, he will come for you. Alexis will not leave her brother to fight this alone. Syrus will do anything for you, and to protect you. Jaden now considers you a friend, and will do anything to help Syrus. Finally Chazz cares for his fellow Key Keepers and he will fight to protect those he cares for, that now includes you.”

The sounds of stomping feet could be heard for a moment. Zane forced his teal eyes open and he saw the blurry figure of Atticus and Alexis stopping on the edge of the trees looking at them. Atticus had furry on his face, Alexis looked scared. Amnael patted his head and shoulder once more, before he lost consciousness. After that everything went completely black and he felt nothing once again.

Amnael rose to his feet, Zane’s body and soul now trapped within the pages of his tome. He had managed to lure two of the Key Keepers to him. He looked at their faces, the look of rage and horror there when they saw someone they card about, dissolve into nothing. His life now sealed within the pages of the artifact he now held. He slid it back into his cloak and stared at the siblings, trying to decide if he should take them on two on one, or one at a time.

Atticus made the decision for him as he lunged forward. Amnael barely managed to dodge the attack. The brunette teen glared hatefully at Amnael as he backed up, still facing both of the Rhodes siblings. He looked from the hate filled eyes of Atticus, to the shock filled ones of Alexis. It was clear neither knew what to do, but the older brother looked ready to wipe Amnael from the face of the Earth.

“Do you both wish to duel me at the same time?” Amnael asked.

“I am going to end you!” Atticus shouted. He whipped around and clicked his duel disk open. Emotions, he couldn’t name flashed across the face of the teen. “What you did to Zane, not just before but once again. Hasn’t he suffered enough from all of you? You put him through the trials of Hell for two years and now you do it again? Are you even human or are you demons?”

Alexis moved to stand next to her brother, she knew she would have to calm him down. But witnessing Zane’s body vanish right before their eyes was terrifying. Yes they witnessed something similar when Crowler lost to Camula, but they had a doll with his soul in it. Whatever this Shadow Rider did, there was nothing left of Zane. Not his body, not even the duel disk he wore nor his deck.

“He is simply the bait to lure you here. I would say it worked perfectly and now I will claim two Spirit Keys.” Amnael reshuffled his deck and slid it back into his duel disk. “Shall we duel?”

Alexis and Atticus shared a look and once again looked to their enemy. Taking mirroring battle stances, they all drew their cards and met gazes.

“GAME ON!” they all shouted in unison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this wasn't supposed to be so long. But I like how it turned out, Zane starts to overcome his worries in this chapter. So what do you all think when it comes to the special guest, there will be more coming, in terms of duels and special character showings. I wasn't sure how I wanted this to go, but I wish we got to see Atticus fight back against Amnael, instead of just being captured again. So, this was me giving my spin. I don't see Zane either in canon, nor in my AU standing idly by and let someone else save him. He is going to stand on his own two feet and fight back. I made up a power for the card Amnael played against Alexis in the anime. So that is how he won, I mean, why wouldn't he have a super powered card? I mean Camula had freaking Illusion Gate. Now this episode has turned into at least a three freaking part, but I am excited I got to write a duel with Zane in it. As always, comments and thoughts welcome. Let me know what you all think. Any predictions? Everyone stay safe and healthy!


	30. Exploiting the Weakness

CHAPTER THIRTY: EXPLOITING THE WEAKNESS

Atticus stood before his biggest enemy, Banner had officially been moved to second place. Witnessing Zane dissolve into light, was more than he could take. Pure, unadulterated hatred was flowing through his veins at this point. He already despised the Shadow Riders for what they did to his boyfriend, and possibly Yusuke, but this just pushed him over the edge.

“I draw!” Atticus spat out. He whipped a card out and looked at his hand. The need to destroy his opponent was riding him hard. “I summon Red Eyes Black Chick.” The baby dragon appeared and cracked the red egg, squawking at the sky. “Check this out asshole, by sacrificing this little guy, I can summon my partner, Red Eyes Black Dragon.”

Flames swirled around the little dragon and the larger one appeared. It raised its head and roared at the sky. The dragon was a truly menacing monster and Alexis knew her brother was dueling recklessly. Watching the person he loved dissolve right before his eyes messed with his head, and she was worried.

“I next play my spell card Inferno Fire Blast.” The spell card appeared faceup on the field. Amnael stared impassively at it. “With this, I can inflict damage equal to one Red Eyes monster on my field.” Atticus smirked evilly. “I have my Red Eyes Black Dragon on my field right now. So that is 2400 points of damage. Go Red Eyes, blast him into next week!”

The dragon did as ordered and blasted Amnael with a dark, purple flame. The fireball landed a hit on the ordered target, forcing Amnale to take a step back. The cloaked figure simply straightened again as his lifepoints went down by 2400 points, dropping to 1600. Atticus looked codly at Amnael and let out a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding.

“I place one card face down, and end my turn.” Atticus stared straight ahead.

“Atticus,” she whispered. She wanted to get his attention without alerting their mutual opponent. Her brother shot her a look, and she couldn’t identify the emotion on his face, nor in his eyes. “Be careful, we don’t know what cards he has. We don’t even know what he is capable of doing.”

“We have a pretty good idea Alexis. He somehow managed to seal Zane into that book, I let that happen again.” Pain was etched onto his face, it made her heart stop. “I need to put a stop to it here and now.” He looked to Amnael, furry once again flashing in his chocolate eyes. “I know you are the one responsible for what happened to Zane in the Shadows. Now you are going to tell me everything you know, including what happened to Yusuke!”

“I can not tell you what happened to Yusuke Fujiwara. The only thing I can tell you is that he gave Hellshroud’s mask to Zane to protect him in the shadows. Little did he know that the amount of darkness in that mask would be too overwhelming for someone who had not learned about the dark arts before,” Amnael responded. His tone was even, his voice distorted.

“I call bullshit, if Zane was in the Shadows and he knew what happened to Yusuke, before he disappeared. Then Yusuke must be there. I plan on rescuing both of them, and I will make sure they stay safe from any and all of you,” Atticus yelled back.

He still didn’t want to believe that Yusuke gave that mask to Zane. The meaning behind that would be that Yusuke was a willing participant in what happened. It was true that Yusuke had begun to pull away from them shortly before his disappearance. He became closed off and would not interact with them, no matter what Atticus tried. Zane had told him that he would try and talk to Yusuke in private. They both were cut from a similar cloth, so Atticus had hoped it would work. Unfortunately that backfired on him in a catastrophic way, when shortly after Yusuke vanished so did Zane.

Alexis looked at her brother, she knew he was over the edge now. There was no reeling him back in, so she had two options. Option one was to try and play it safe, possibly dragging him down and losing. Option two was she went all out with him and kept pace. Granted there was the possibility they would still lose, but at least she wouldn’t drag him down.

She closed her gold eyes and opened them on a snap. She drew a card from her deck and looked at her cards. Surprisingly she drew Polymerization and in her hand were two cards she would need. A smirk came to her lips and she looked at her brother, they shared a look only they could read. Atticus smiled at her, he knew that look and Alexis was going to go all out with him. She turned her attention back to their mutual opponent.

“First, I play the spell card Polymerization. This allows me to fuse Etoile Cyber with Blade Skater in my hand, in order to summon Cyber Blader.” The two monsters appeared on the field, only to combine into Alexis’ most fearsome monster. The fusion monster appeared and stood battle ready in front of Alexis, right next to Red Eyes Black Dragon. “With that I end my turn.”

“You two certainly make a formidable team, it makes sense,” Amnael said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Atticus snapped out.

“As siblings, you read one another very well. So clearly you are working out a tag team strategy to try and beat me. However, I am sorry to tell you that you have no chance. Just as Zane lost to me, so too shall you,” Amnael responded simply. He drew a card and looked down at it. With a mask covering his face, there was no way for the Rhodes siblings to read his expressions. Well if he had any.

“Yeah, yeah big talk. Bring it on, you aren’t getting through us. There is more at stake than just rescuing Zane here for us,” Alexis said suddenly. Atticus looked sideways at her, and Amnael raised his attention from his cards. “As the older students we’re going to protect the first years we took under our wing, as well as the world. We fight as a team, and that’s what will allow us to win against you. So give us your best shot, we can take it.”

Atticus looked at his sister and really saw something in her stance and eyes. Determination flashed there, and he couldn’t be more proud. She was becoming an amazing duelist and her will to protect everyone they essentially ‘adopted’ this year was shining through. A smile crossed his face and he showed how proud he was on his face.

“You tell him Lexi,” Atticus said quietly. The use of her nickname didn’t go unnoticed by her, and it brought a smile to her face.

Atticus was starting to calm, and look at things strategically. He had a brilliant mind when he used it, hence why he was known as ‘King’ of Duel Academy. She knew they would be able to hold their own here, they would fight until they had nothing left to give.

“I apologize if you believe that. I activate my spell card to end this duel in one turn.” Amnael placed the card in the slot and immediately a fire shower rained down around the siblings. “This destroys the monsters on your field, and you both will take damage equal to their combined attack points.”

Atticus and Alexis went as white as their uniforms. Neither of them ever heard of such a card, it shouldn’t exist. Yet the evidence was clear, their monsters melted and vanished before their eyes. Atticus felt his eyes widen more as he was flung back with his sister. They landed a few feet away, both on their backs, minds and bodies in shock from a one turn knock-out. Their eyes may have been open, but the glazed looks they gave each other were full of regret.

“Sorry, Lexi,” Atticus whispered as he slipped into unconsciousness. His head rolled to the side, and Alexis copied the move, a single tear sliding down her cheek.

Amnael walked up to them and knelt down. He grasped both Spirit Keys and put them into his cloak. Their decks were scattered around the ground, and he opened his tome. Just as what happened with Zane, their bodies dissolved into light and were sealed in the pages of the ancient book.

Looking up, Amnael noticed the sun was just starting to set over the horizon. He had three souls now captured, and two keys belonged to him. There were three keys remaining, and Amnael would make sure to get them as well. Turning around, he made his way out of the field, leaving the cards scattered where they were. It would serve as a warning, and a challenge to the remaining Key Keepers. The top two had been taken down, now the rest would fall as well.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The sun had completely set and the four Slifers were no closer to finding Banner. They decided to stop and rest for a bit, they had been scared out of their minds not too long ago and were panting from the running away they did. A fire crackled in the middle of their semi-circle. The stars shone bright in the sky and all four duelists looked up at the sky.

“This area of the forest sure is weird,” Syrus stated, breaking the silence.

Jaden laughed, the sound was weary. “Yeah I mean seriously, flying snakes? It’s like something out of a bad horror movie.”

Chazz sat cross legged and crossed his arms over his chest. Chumley simply sat there, not sure what to say. He wasn’t a Key Keeper, he was just here to try and help any way he could. Syrus and Jaden being his best friends, he wanted to do something to ease what they were going through. Jaden and Syrus for their parts were simply staring into the crackling flames. Each person was lost in their own thoughts.

Syrus looked to Jaden, his friend hadn’t been the same after learning about what Banner was involved in and then vanishing. Syrus knew Jaden cared and became close with their dorm head. However, Syrus couldn’t bring himself to care much either way. But he wanted to comfort his friend, just as Jay had done for him.

“We’ll find Banner soon, I’m sure of it,” Syrus spoke gently. He tried to put true meaning behind those words. However the look Chazz shot him, it was clear the words sounded forced.

“I hope so. Because I really miss him, ya know.” Jaden didn’t even seem to notice how forced the words Syrus said were. “All the little things he did for us. Really showed how much he cared, ya know. I remember when he gave me his dinner of pork fried rice, with chili sauce. It’s my favorite and he gave me his portion. Now that’s a friend, don’t ya think?” Jaden closed his eyes and smiled at the memory.

Chumley smiled uneasily. “Course, he was allergic to chili sauce.” The revelation was revealed with clear uneasiness.

Jaden lifted his gaze to look at Chumley, and the twitchy smile and sweat rolling down his face. “He was?” Jaden asked.

“But uh, I’m sure that had very little to do with it.” Chumley quickly went on to say. He leaned forward and forced a grin. “Yeah, Banner knew it was your favorite, so he was being nice no matter what.”

“Yeah I guess so.” Jaden’s tone said he wasn’t convinced. He looked out into the dark forest to collect his thoughts.

“Well he was always nice to you, Sy!” Chumley said suddenly. He was trying to shift the conversation away from what he revealed to Jaden, which crushed him. But Chumley realized that Syrus was not the person to talk to about Banner.

“I suppose,” Syrus said quietly. He really didn’t want to talk about it. “He tried forcing me to drink milk… and it was expired milk at that! He told me to grab a fork and ‘enjoy myself’. Plus you add in the fact that he led my brother to the dorm where the Shadows were waiting… I don’t have many nice things to say about him.” The small Slifer crossed his arms over his chest and huffed out a breath.

“Ok, so he was a bit weird on that part. But still, he still was there.” Chumley tried to reason.

“Hmph, weird?” Chazz spoke up suddenly and looked at the others. He closed his eyes as a memory came to him of the eccentric Professor. “He would slide all his freaking carrots off his plate and on to mine. He knew I hated carrots! Then when I would remind him, he would simply give that creepy smile and say ‘but of course you do’. He then told me that I could repay him by giving him my desert!” Chazz started to shake in place, and clenched a fist. “He sure was shifty sometimes.”

Syrus looked at Chazz and nodded his head. An angry flush staining his cheeks, he looked back to Jaden. The brunette Slifer appeared to be the only one who was trying to think of good memories. Chumley was trying to help but was actually making things worse.

“Ok, so Banner had two sides to him. But don’t we all?” Jaden posed the question to the others. “Having different dimensions to a personality doesn’t automatically make him a bad person.”

“No it doesn’t,” Chumley agreed with an easy smile this time.

Chazz blew out a breath and smirked. “Yeah, you’re right. Guess that’s why we’re looking for him.”

They all looked to Syrus for his agreement. The younger Truesdale simply stared back at them with his light blue eyes, but they were rock hard. Not a good thing, when it came to this small duelist.

“No it doesn’t make him a bad person to have multiple aspects of his personality. But what does make him a bad person is the fact that there are still over two dozen missing students. That’s an entire class you guys. He played a part in my brother’s disappearance and that’s something I can’t forgive.” He looked to Jaden, giving him a sympathetic look. “I know you were close with him Jaden, and I thought I was too. But what he did to my brother, all the torment Zane endured because of Banner… I can’t get past that,” Syrus spoke with a resolute tone.

“Well once we find him Sy, we can get those answers for Zane. As well as finding all the other missing students. Maybe he will have a good explanation for why he did what he did too. You never know Sy,” Jaden said hopefully. “So we should probably get back to searching for him.”

Chazz jumped to his feet and looked down at the others. “Seriously, break time is over! Let’s go!”

“And find Banner,” the four of them said in unison. Everyone got to their feet and just as Syrus was reaching over to grab the water to put the flames out, a sound caught their attention. It was a distinct sound of a cat. And there was only one cat everyone knew on this island.

“Pharaoh?” Jaden said quietly. He was almost afraid to believe it would be him.

Chazz was looking in the direction of the sound, and Chumley was crawling on his hands and knees towards the bushes where they heard it. Syrus grabbed the water and doused the flames, putting out the fire. They didn’t want to be responsible for setting the whole forest ablaze. Both he and Jaden then moved to where Chazz and Chumley were at.

“It came from over here guys,” Chumley said in a whisper.

Chazz pulled out his flashlight and clicked it on. He started walking in the direction, without waiting for the others. His plan would work! It was common knowledge, you find Pharaoh, you find Banner and he was about to be proven right once again. The group of four began walking and listening for any indication where the cat may be.

“Pharaoh!” Jaden called out, his hands to his mouth to help his voice carry.

“Here kitty!” Syrus tried next. He used his flashlight to shine up the trees they walked by. Hoping he would spot Pharaoh sitting in one of them.

“C’mere cat,” Chumley called. He moved his light along the ground.

“Pharaoh!” Chazz called out last.

Eventually they all ended up in another clearing. They stood in a circle, everyone facing a different direction, hoping and praying they would see some kind of clue. Whether about Banner or his cat. Out of nowhere Pharaoh meowed once more and they all froze.

“She’s close!” Chazz exclaimed. He pointed his finger in the direction he was facing. “Come on guys, let’s spread out. This could be our only chance.”

The other three Slifers looked back at Chazz and nodded their heads. Chazz gave them a head nod back, and made his way in the direction he was sure he heard the cat from. Sweeping his flashlight around him as he walked through the forest, an eerie feeling crept up his spine. It sent off alarm bells in his mind and he wondered for a moment if splitting up was a good idea.

“Pharaoh!” Chazz called out again. He needed to have some noise. The dead silence of the forest was getting to him. It was straight out of one of Banner’s horror movies. An idea suddenly popped into his head. He pulled out the cat toy once more, now that the Slifer Slackers weren’t here to make fun of his idea. “Where are you? Come on ya stupid cat,” he muttered under his breath.

“Kitty! Come out here right now!” Chazz yelled once more. He continued walking, his dark eyes scanning what they could. “I have a new present for you. No cat can resist this toy.”

Suddenly Chazz felt Ojama Yellow on his shoulder and he grit his teeth. The little hideous creature floated against his face, it’s hands clasped together and it’s eyes wide as it looked around. For once Chazz didn’t tell it to get lost, it gave him the sense he wasn’t alone.

“Something’s wrong, I’m scared,” Ojama Yellow said in it’s annoyingly high pitched voice.

“Yeah, well what else is new,” he sniped. Truth be told, he felt something off too, but refused to say it.

“Look boss, something’s just not right here.” The duel spirit slid closer and huddled near Chazz’s face for comfort.

“Oh please, just get lost.” Chazz used his hand that held the cat toy to bat the spirit away. He was tired of listening to it, and the words spoken were making him more uneasy. A loud meow caught his attention and he broke out into a grin. Moving the flashlight, Chazz spotted Pharaoh a measly few feet in front of him, curled into a ball. A strange symbol flashed in front of him, but it was so quick, he didn’t catch what it looked like. “Pharaoh! I knew I would be the first to find you!”

Moving closer, Chazz kneeled in front of the cat and reached out to grab the things next to it. Bringing them closer for inspection, Chazz had a startling discovery, in his hands were Banner’s glasses. He didn’t realize that Pharaoh had gotten up and walked away from where Chazz was kneeling.

“He’s got to be close,” Chazz muttered. He looked up, intending to grab Pharaoh and regroup with the others, only to notice there was no cat. “Wait, what? Oh come on, seriously! How hard is it to catch a stupid cat?” he yelled exasperated.

Moving his flashlight, something glowing caught his eyes once more. It was the same neon green symbol. This time it remained long enough for him to get a good look at it. It was the large circle with a small dot in the center, the same as the alchemy mark they saw in Banner’s notes. Even more so, it was the same mark they learned that day in class.

“The mark of Amnael,” Chazz whispered.

The mark vanished and when he moved the light again, he noticed it reappeared a ways ahead of him. Right below the mark, was Banner’s necktie. This continued for a few more times, he found different articles of Banner’s clothing. It was a disturbing thought, he wondered why Banner’s clothes would be all around the forest.

“Ok, so I found his stinking clothes.” Chazz brought his shoulders up, the posture clearly defensive. “But where in the world is the Professor?”

“Ah, who cares,” Ojama Yellow suddenly exclaimed.

Chazz looked down and in front of him were all three of the Ojama Brothers. Yellow, Black and Green all looked equally terrified of something. Their arms were around one another and they all jumped up and hovered around his head, standing on his shoulders. Eyes were wide as they looked around. Suddenly they all looked forward and the fog rolled up. Chazz realized he was standing in front of the water, he looked out over it and realized someone was standing… on the water.

“What the hell?” he yelled. 

Someone shouldn’t be able to stand on water like that. The cloaked figure stood ramrod straight and still as a statue. The wind blew his cloak around him, making him seem even creepier than he was at first glance. Chazz smirked and turned to fully face the stranger. The Ojamas jumped off his shoulders and hid behind him. The stranger clicked his duel disk open and Chazz did the same.

“YOU took Banner, didn’t you!” Chazz said. He made it a statement as he glared at the person who dared to challenge him. “Well, I’m going to win him back!” Arrogance rang in his tone, but he knew he would back it up.

Amnael simply motioned with his hand, indicating Chazz to join him on the water. Chazz looked down at the rippling water and frowned. It wasn’t physically possible to stand on water, but the man was in the center and his shoes were on the surface of the water. Taking a chance, he put one foot forward and realized he was now standing on top of the water… it was nothing short of insane.

The crescent moon shone through the opening in the clouds. Fog grew thick around the two duelists as they stared one another down. Once the black haired Slifer felt confident he wouldn’t sink into the water, he tapped his left foot and smirked at his opponent.

“Now… LET’S GO!” Raising a fist in the air, Chazz prepared for battle.

“Do it Chazz!” Ojama Yellow exclaimed from his right.

“We’re with ya!” Ojama Green proudly announced from his left. His arms in a muscle man pose.

“That’s right!” Ojama Black stated in agreement next to Green.

“Time to Chazz you up!” the four proclaimed proudly.

The water turned violent around them, and Chazz thanked God he wasn’t one to get sea sick. With the wind and water, this was definitely dangerous, just what he lived for! His dark eyes looked his enemy over once more, before looking at his deck.

“Let’s duel!” he called out.

Amnael simply stared at him, not saying a single word. It was clear he believed words were unnecessary when it came to Chazz. The teen was hot headed, and it would lead to his demise, after all… he studied each and every deck of the Key Keepers. It was why he knew the best way to beat Atticus was to push him over the edge. If he acted rashly then, it was an easy win. Alexis played with her mind, so he had to get her to react the same way as her brother. Hence why he made sure they witnessed Zane’s body and soul being sealed in the book. Chazz was his own worst enemy. He would be beaten by going after his ego.

Chazz drew a card and looked at it, a plan quickly forming in his mind. “First I’m going to summon a monster with some bite. Come on out, Masked Dragon in defense mode!” The monster appeared and went into defense mode. “That will do for now. Your move, Shadow Rider.”

Amnael simply drew a card and summoned a monster. However because of the darkness and fog, Chazz couldn’t see it. Amnael made a slashing motion with his hand and Chazz’s Masked Dragon was destroyed. He grit his teeth and put his hands up to block the smoke from hitting his face.

“Thanks for taking my bait! When Masked Dragon is sent to the graveyard during battle, I can summon a dragon type monster with 1500 or fewer attack points from my deck.” He smirked and lifted his duel disk up. “And I chose Armed Dragon Level Three with 1200 attack points!” His deck glowed and appeared the monster that was called forth.

Amnael still didn’t give a reaction. He placed a card facedown and motioned for Chazz to go, he knew what the teen would do. He was playing right into Amnael’s trap and didn’t even know it. Chazz drew a card and chuckled darkly.

“You see Shadow Rider, during my standby phase my Armed Dragon’s effect activates. By sending one card to the graveyard and sacrificing his level three form, I can summon Armed Dragon Level Five directly to the field.” Chazz sent one of his cards to the graveyard and a bright light shone around his monster. “Armed Dragon Level Five, rise up!”

The baby orange dragon transformed into a large red and black dragon, now with 2400 attack points. Dark eyes assessed the situation in front of him. Due to the fog and darkness, Chazz couldn’t see what monster was summoned on his opponent’s side. Nor could he see how many attack points it had. He knew it had to be more than his Masked Dragon’s 1100 defense points. But he had to take a chance.

“Go Armed Dragon Level Five, attack his monster with Inferno Roar!” Chazz ordered. He thrust his hand in front, while ordering the attack.

The monster did as ordered and launched into an attack against the mystery monster. The other monster was destroyed in a flash. Chazz couldn’t tell how many lifepoints the person had left. He only hoped it was significantly less now. He glanced at his hand, and made a quick decision.

“Well whatever then. I place one card facedown and end my turn,” Chazz spat out.

Amnael looked at what cards he had, and drew another one. He summoned a mystery monster once more, and Chazz was getting really sick of not knowing what each monster was. Thrusting a hand forward, Amnael ordered his monster to attack with the single motion.

“Hold on, you’re attacking my monster? How could your monster have more attack points?” There was actual panic in his voice.

His Level Five Dragon was destroyed and Chazz was flung back with the force. He looked down at his disk and saw he had 3000 lifepoints left. His entire backside was wet from landing on the water. Yet somehow, he was still above it the entire time. Nothing was making sense here, there should have been no way for this person to summon a monster with 1000 more attack points than his monster. But at least he had a contingency plan.

“Thanks for that, now I can activate my trap card. Call of The Haunted.” The card flipped up and Amnael looked at it. “Do you believe in ghosts? Well you’re about to, because this card let’s me bring a monster back from my graveyard. Armed Dragon Level Five, rise up once more.”

The monster rose once again and roared into the night sky. Chazz was going to make sure he won this, he would get Banner back and protect the people he called friends. Once the thought was in his head, he went still and his face paled. He shook his head in denial.

“Friends? When did I start thinking of those Slackers as my friends?!” he yelled out suddenly.

“You always considered them your friends, Chazz. You were just far too scared to admit it out loud,” Amnael’s distorted voice spoke suddenly.

“What?!” he snarled back. He slashed his arms through the foggy night air. “Those slackers aren’t my friends. They are nothing but annoying pains in my neck.”

“I think not, you are just too terrified to say it. Your walls prevent you from ever truly forging relationships. It is your greatest weakness… among other things,” Amnael responded evenly.

“The Chazz has no weakness!”

Amnael felt himself smile. It was working, poking holes in Chazz’s defense was the best way to defeat him. Everything was going according to plan, just a few more nudges and Chazz would be on the ground unconscious as the other three before him. The tome in his cloak felt heavy with the three souls already sealed in there.

“I place a card facedown and end my turn. You are once again up Chazz, I only hope you are able to deliver.”

Chazz felt his face flush, he was so infuriated with what this nonsense this guy was spouting. He would make him eat those words. And it would start with his turn now!

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Further inland, the trio of Slifers were still looking for Pharaoh. Completely unaware of what their friend had found and who he was now locked in a Shadow Game with. Jaden’s flashlight moved across the forest floor and he stopped when a round ball of fur was found. Pharaoh lifted her head and meowed in annoyance at Jaden.

“We found Pharaoh!” Chumley exclaimed in excitement. He leaned down and lifted the cat into his arms.

“Way to go Chum!” Syrus said. He came up and shined his light around them, looking to see if Banner was close by.

“Pharaoh, where’s your pal Professor Banner?” Jaden questioned the cat.

Syrus and Chumley exchanged looks, they weren’t sure if Jaden was expecting a response or not. But they got one, in a strange way. Pharaoh meowed and the shadow charm hanging from Jaden’s neck lit up suddenly. Jaden looked down and gasped. Syrus and Chumley looked down as well, when that charm lit up, it was never a good thing.

Jaden whipped around and took off running, forcing his friends to follow behind him. If this charm was lit up like this, then that could only mean one thing… a Shadow Games was happening. He only hoped that whoever was dueling this round could pull out a win. 

“Chazz, we found Pharaoh! Where are you?” Jaden yelled out. When silence met his call, a pit formed in the bottom of his stomach.

“He couldn’t have gone far,” Syrus said as he ran behind Jaden.

“Something’s wrong! We NEVER should have split up! We need to find Chazz now!” Jaden yelled again. He looked behind him at Syrus and Chumley. “Pick up the pace, there is a Shadow Game going on, I bet that’s why the charm is lit up.”

All three of the Slifers started running faster, hoping their friend could hold out for a bit longer.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Chazz was huffing and trembling. No matter what he did, he couldn’t get a read on this guy. The dark night and fog concealed his monsters, so Chazz had no idea of attack points or defense points of what was summoned. What was even worse, was he now had 800 lifepoints. A few turns had passed and he managed to inflict some battle damage on this creep, but it clearly wasn’t enough.

Behind him stood his ultimate monster, Armed Dragon Level Seven. This monster hopefully would allow him to land the finishing blow here. Drawing a card from his deck, he smirked. It appeared that things finally were turning in his favor. His dark eyes went once again to the Shadow Rider before him.

“You’re going down here and now Shadow Rider! The Chazz is on the job and I don’t fail. I activate my monster’s special ability. By sending one monster in my hand to the graveyard, all monsters on your side of the field with equal or few attack points are automatically destroyed.” Chazz flipped the monster card around to show what card he was sending to the graveyard. “I send Despair from the Dark to the graveyard and with 2800 attack points, you can say goodbye to your monsters. Take them down Armed Dragon!”

The monster did as told and all the monsters on Amnael’s field were destroyed. Chazz sucked in a breath and smirked. He was putting on as much of an air of confidence as he could. Blinking his eyes clear, he looked once more to the Shadow Rider.

“And next turn I will attack you directly. So any last words before your end Shadow Rider?” Chazz asked sarcastically.

The Ojama Brothers floated up to him and were eagerly chatting to him. He listened to them with half an ear, truth be told… he was getting tired. This Shadow Game was taking a lot out of him, but he didn’t want to show it.

“My, my walking into my trap as I thought. Your friends Atticus and Alexis fell the same way,” Amnael spoke again.

Chazz whipped his head up, clearly he had to have heard the guy wrong. There was no way Alexis, let alone Atticus would lose. They were the top students at Duel Academy. Atticus was known as ‘King’ Atticus for a reason and Alexis was basically a ‘Queen’.

“Yeah right, there’s no way they lost to you. Nice try Shadow Rider,” Chazz spat out. He refused to believe it. Atticus was the first person to really accept him, so if he lost then Chazz… he shook his head, dispelling all those thoughts. “Why don’t you stop with the mind games and get back to dueling. Just accept your defeat at the hands of The Chazz!”

“If you refuse to see what I say is true, then so be it.” 

Amnael drew a card, and once more wordlessly summoned a monster. It’s shadow outline had Chazz actually shaking. The thing was huge, it towered over his Armed Dragon Level Seven. And worst of all, just like the rest of the duel, Chazz couldn’t tell what attack points it had, nor what it even was.

“What-What is that thing?” Chazz questioned. He took an unconscious step back, eyes wide and face pale once more. “What monster is that?!”

Amnael simply ordered his monster to attack and Chazz felt in his gut, this was it. His body hurt from the Shadow Game and sweat rolled down his cheek as he looked forward at the outline of the monstrosity heading for him. The outline of some weird monster struck his dragon and the blast knocked Chazz backwards once more, a desperate scream came from his throat. He simply lay on top of the water, dazed dark eyes staring blankly at the night sky. Too exhausted to move when the Shadow Rider came toward him, he laid there and accepted his fate.

Kneeling down Amnael grasped his Spirit Key and put it into his cloak. He looked at Chazz with pity and pulled out the book once more. Opening it, he watched as Chazz’s body dissolved into light just as the three Obelisks before him. Standing up, he looked at the three duel spirits who were attached to the teen and decided to leave them there. Just as the Rhodes’ siblings cards, Chazz’s cards and duel spirits floating here would be a warning.

He now had three out of the remaining five Spirit Keys. The last two would make their way to him, he just had to be patient. He could hear the sounds of feet running towards him. Perfect timing, they would find Chazz’s deck and the duel spirit’s would tell of what happened. All he had to do now was wait for them to come to him. With that final thought, he vanished into the fog.

Jaden broke through the forest first, Syrus and Chumley were hot on his heels. Jaden swung his light around, looking for any sign of their friend. His heart was beating frantically, he had a bad feeling.

“CHAZZ!” Jaden yelled out as loud as he could.

Chumley stopped dead in his tracks at the water’s edge. Pharaoh was still in his arms, and he looked down at the water. When Jaden’s light touched it, he gasped. Syrus and Jaden looked at him in confusion.

“Jay, Sy look.” Chumley pointed at the water. The other two looked to where Chumley was pointing and both gasped as well.

Chazz’s cards were floating on the water and Jaden saw the Ojama Brothers kneeling down crying. He dropped his flashlight and stood frozen in shock horror at what he was seeing. Chazz would never leave his cards in the water… scratch that NO duelist would do that to their cards. The sounds of the duel spirits sobbing, combined with the visual of Chazz’s cards there were too much for Jaden. 

“CHAZZ!” Jaden called in despair. He sank to his knees and began grabbing what he could reach. The monsters turned and looked at him, and began pushing the cards towards Jaden. “Thank you guys,” he said quietly. Once all the cards were in Jaden’s grasp he stood up, holding the deck carefully. “I’m going to find who did this and avenge my friend!”

“Wait,” Ojama Yellow said between tears.

Jaden looked at him and cocked his head to the side. “What?”

“It’s not just one friend. The creep who defeated Chazz said he had others beaten as well. He mentioned Atticus and Alexis,” Ojama Green revealed, his one eye downcast.

“What?” Jaden asked again.

“Jay, what’s wrong?” Syrus asked worriedly.

“This was the Seventh Shadow Rider. And he didn’t just beat Chazz… he already beat Atticus and Alexis.” Jaden’s voice was barely a thread of sound.

“So you two are the last Key Keepers?” Chumley asked, face pale with the implication.

Syrus and Jaden looked at one another. There was panic for a moment, but as they held one another’s gaze, resolve pushed that aside. They would win, and they would win, not just to protect the world… but to save their friends.

Around them, the ground began to shake and strange lights erupted around the island. The three Slifers looked up and all began to shake. Sharing a look between them, Jaden gulped and gripped the deck harder. Chumley squeezed Pharaoh so tight, the cat let out an indignant meow. Syrus looked at Jaden and then to the sky again.

“What is that?” he asked quietly.

“Whatever it is… it's not good,” Jaden responded. The feeling of dread settling in his gut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I thought I would get this out as soon as possible, since this single episode turned into three chapters. For Chazz's duel, I used part of his duel against Jaden in the School Duel episode. I wanted to showcase some of his abilities. Amnael to me is a master of mind games, so that is how he won against everyone. Looking at his duel with Jaden, he tried to mess with Jaden's head to throw him off his game and it almost worked. So that is what he did here to win against Atticus, Alexis and Chazz. Next chapter will have a surprise, any guesses on what it could be? As always thoughts and comments welcome. Stay safe and healthy everyone.


	31. Answers from the Darkness

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: ANSWERS FROM THE DARKNESS

Atticus felt himself floating, there was no other way to describe it. His eyelids felt as if they had weights on them, making it nearly impossible to open his eyes and see where he was. Fog clouded his mind and he struggled to think past it. In the distance he swore he could hear two distinct voices, and they were familiar to him.

“Talk to me. Did something happen? You’re my friend, I want to help,” one of the voices said. Distress was clear in the tone. Atticus could tell it was a male voice, just couldn’t place a name to it yet.

“No, nothing happened. I really do appreciate you wanting to help me,” the second male voice responded back. There was gratitude in this voice, but a determination to not share anything.

“We’re both worried about you. The way you have been pulling away has both Atticus and I concerned,” the first voice tried to express.

With the mention of his name, Atticus forced his eyes open in a snap. Squinting, into the darkness surrounding him, he didn’t see anyone who was speaking. However he did see Alexis laying face down, her face turned toward him. She was still unconscious and he remembered losing the duel. Not only did he lose, but he dragged his sister down with him. That was a hard and bitter pill to swallow. A distance away he saw Chazz, lying on his back. He wasn’t moving, so he assumed Chazz was unconscious as well.

Looking around, he noticed that it looked as if they were suspended in outer space. He could see Earth a distance from him, and it appeared they were all trapped within planet shaped prisons. He forced himself to his feet and placed his hands on the shimmering form of his cage. As he continued to search for where the voices were coming from, he noticed Zane.

Zane was slumped against his own cage, face tilted down and his long teal hair covering his face. Atticus felt his heart stop, Zane’s stillness was terrifying. The memory of the Seventh Shadow Rider defeating Zane and sealing his soul and body into that strange book came to the forefront. He replayed the scene in his mind and Atticus sank to his knees.

“Zane, I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t have felt the need to duel. The Shadow Rider was after us, and you were dragged into this mess again.” Atticus lowered his gaze, guilt eating him up once more. Ruthlessly he shoved it back just as quickly as it came. Feeling guilt wouldn’t get the four of them out of this.

Raising his gaze once more, he looked to his sister and then to Chazz. The black haired Slifer was another person he had taken under his wing. He had seen how Chazz’s biological brothers treated him, it set off his protective instincts. From the day of the School Duel, Atticus made it his mission to have Chazz look to him as a brother. He wanted to be there for the younger.

“I promise to get you all out of here, somehow,” he whispered to himself. He also prayed that Syrus and Jaden were safe. “I don’t want to have to explain to Zane if he finds out that Syrus was put in even more danger.” Atticus let out a biter laugh.

“I apologize for making you and Atticus worry Zane. But really, I’m fine, just a little tired from all the classes and extracurricular activities,” the second voice started speaking again.

Atticus whipped his head up and looked around the vast darkness. Now that his mind was clearing, one of the voices was Zane and the other one could only be… Yusuke! His eyes went wide, trying desperately to see anything. With Zane clearly unconscious, there was no way he was the one speaking.

A bright light flashed suddenly and Atticus found himself standing in an opulent room. He looked around and noticed that this was the room Yusuke stayed in while he had been an Obelisk. He could tell with the bulletin board full of pictures he took. The plush rich colored carpet he knew was softer than the mattresses in the other dorms. There were two large glass doors that led out to the balcony and they were both open. Dark violet curtain pulled aside to show the open night. A large king size bed sat against one of the walls with the blue comforter and padded headboard. A desk was next to the bed, a laptop and duel disk sitting on top of it. Finally the living area had the light blue wrap-around couch, a large coffee table and flatscreen television on the opposite wall.

“Then talk to me Yusuke,” Zane’s voice said suddenly.

Atticus whipped his head around and felt the air leave his lungs in a rush. Standing outside on the balcony were Zane and Yusuke. They had their backs to him and were staring out into the darkness of the night. Atticus could tell by the way they stood side by side, it was not quite an argument, but more than just a friendly chat.

Yusuke’s green hair came down to his shoulders and was messy from the slight wind blowing outside. His white Obelisk jacket was still on, the diamond shaped back flared out and shifting in the breeze. Yusuke also added the flare of the shoulder pads, accenting his frame. It was a touch Atticus wished he thought of first.

Zane, from the back, Atticus could see the twin tails on the back of his jacket that swayed. Zane’s hair only brushed his shoulders at this point. Unlike like now where it came down in jagged layers to his shoulder blades. He crossed his arms and Atticus could picture Zane giving Yusuke a side glance, one he was known for.

“I… I really am fine, Zane. My intention is not to make you, nor Atticus worry. You both have been by my side since we met.” Yusuke turned his attention to Zane, and Atticus felt a pang of regret in his chest. Yusuke gave a small smile. “If something is bothering me so badly, I will tell you and Atticus. There isn’t anyone I trust more than you two.”

“Then talk to us!” Atticus called out.

In the rational part of his mind, he realized that this was nothing but a past memory he was witnessing somehow. But he had to say something, he wanted to get their attention. Make them realize he was right here, that they didn’t have to deal with whatever it was alone. Both Zane and Yusuke were cut from similar cloth. They felt the need to shoulder everything alone, which was why when Zane said he would talk to Yusuke, Atticus had no objections.

The two of them turned around suddenly and walked back into the room. Zane was heading right for Atticus, and he saw the resignation on Zane’s face. He reached out on instinct and tried to rub his hand up his arm. As expected though, his hand simply went right through Zane’s arm. Worried chocolate eyes looked from Zane to Yusuke, who was now closing both doors and locking them.

Zane’s teal eyes were exhausted. He looked at Yusuke and forced a smile, one that Atticus had seen him wear shortly before his disappearance. It was a smile that he never had wanted to see again.

“Well, if you’re sure there is nothing wrong, then I will stop bothering you for the night,” Zane said. A gleam lit his eyes for a moment. “You up for a battle royale tomorrow? Atticus wants to get in a duel before exams and suggested it.”

Yusuke looked at Zane. Atticus could see the indecision on his face and in his violet eyes. Finally he shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I am going to do some studying.” A smile flashed across his face, one of the rare real ones. “But I will join you guys after I’m done. I want to see you two duke it out again. Your duels never fail to have me on the edge of my seat.”

Zane let out a laugh and shook his head. “You are still trying to figure out our strategies, aren’t you?”

Yusuke gave a smirk and nodded his head. “Between the two of you I can never figure out which is stronger. But if I had to place a bet, I would say you, Zane.”

“Why would you say that?” Zane questioned. He cocked his head to the side, his bangs brushing against his eyes.

Yusuke just looked at Zane, a strange unnameable expression crossing his face. “I just feel it in you. You have a strange power, one that allows you to connect with things no one else can understand.”

Zane’s smile turned sardonic, it sent a chill through Atticus. “You mean like I can hear when you are speaking to your duel spirit, and you try to cover it up?”

Yusuke went still, his violet eyes widened and his mouth hung open. He crossed his arms over his chest, wrapping them so tight it looked as if he was trying to give himself a hug. He quickly averted his eyes, so as not to look directly at Zane.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Yusuke said quietly.

“Well, I won’t force the issue tonight. I feel as if I’ve bugged you enough for one night.” Zane turned around and made his way to the door. His hand paused on the handle. Without turning back to Yusuke, he spoke once more. “I can’t see them Yusuke… but I hear them. And all the times you spoke with Honest, I heard it. Just as Atticus and I are here for you no matter what, so is your duel spirit. Don’t push us away.”

With those parting words, Zane opened the door and walked out. The door closed with a soft click. Atticus was left standing there, looking at one of his closest friends. Yusuke had the appearance of a terrified little boy. His violet eyes were large and his mouth was pressed into a thin line, as if he was trying to stop any sounds from escaping. Slowly small tears fell down his cheeks and it broke Atticus’ heart. He wanted to reach out and comfort his friend, but he was just an apparition here, intangible.

“He is right Master,” a voice spoke suddenly.

Atticus looked around and saw a shimmering form appear over by the television. His mouth gaped open when he noticed it was the Duel Monster card Honest. His large white and gold wings were open behind him. His long, golden hair was in waves down his back and the one twirled strand was in front of his face. He was dressed in the blue shirt and black shorts. His muscled arms and legs were prominent and he had the white feathered cuffs on each wrist.

“It’s really Honest,” Atticus whispered. While he didn’t doubt Jaden or Chazz about seeing duel spirits, nor did he doubt Zane being able to hear them… this was on another level. He was actually SEEING Honest, not as a hologram, but as an actual duel spirit.

“I know Zane is right. He and Atticus have been there for me from the beginning of our friendship. Neither have ever forgotten about me, nor ignored me.” Yusuke choked on a sob. “But what if they do, Honest?” Yusuke whirled around and looked at Honest with a crazed look in his eyes.

“Neither Zane Truesdale, nor Atticus Rhodes will ever forget about you Master. I have seen in their hearts and minds, they care for you. I have seen Zane’s duel spirit, it is an ancient one known as Cyber End Dragon. That particular spirit would never attach itself to someone who was not worthy,” Honest spoke softly, calmly, so as to talk Yusuke down.

Yusuke swiped at his eyes and moved closer to Honest. He rested his head against Honest’s chest. Somehow he didn’t phase through, but actually was able to rest his head there. Honest flapped his large wings out and wrapped them around Yusuke, in a form of a hug. The action seemed to help settle him, his hiccuping sobs quieted down and the tears eventually stopped flowing. Raising his head, Yusuke gave Honest a watery smile.

“Do you think I should join them for the Battle Royale Duel?” Yusuke’s voice was barely above a whisper.

Honest smiled down and nodded his head. “I believe it will be good for you, Master. You have concerned your friends if you go do this with them, it may alleviate some of their concerns. But as always whatever you decide, I will support.”

Yusuke smiled and nodded his head. “Maybe I will go down and watch them battle. After all, as I said before, they always keep me on the edge of my seat. But I have a feeling that Zane is slightly better than Atticus, just because he has the ability to sense and hear the spirits.”

“That is a reasonable assumption,” Honest responded with a smile.

The scene faded to black around Atticus and he was back in the space where he knew his soul was trapped. Blinking his eyes, he looked to where Zane, Alexis and Chazz were still unconscious. He wasn’t sure why he had seen that vision, and it really didn’t answer any questions he had. All it did was give him more. As he was thinking, another flash of white light blinded him and he was once again somewhere else.

He blinked his vision clear and this time he saw he was outside of the old dorm, the one that was currently abandoned. The dorm was lit up with it’s brilliant, warm lighting. Strings of white lights lined the edges of the dorm and gave off a very elegant vibe. It was one thing Atticus loved about the old dorm, the old elegant feel it had. The door opened and out walked Yusuke. His face was set in a cold mask, one that Atticus had never seen before.

“Yusuke, wait!” Zane called out. He came rushing out of the door and grabbed Yusuke by the arm to stop him. “You know what kind of jerk Rico is, don’t let him get to you.”

The two of them were standing in front of the gate, a few inches from where Atticus stood. Yet again it was made clear they could not see him, because he didn’t exist right there. He was just seeing memory flashes. Yusuke was looking down at the ground, obviously gritting his teeth and his lips pressed into a thin line. Zane looked at him with obvious concern on his face.

“Besides, something tells me that Atticus is going to be taking care of Rico. You should have seen the look of murder in his eyes, I don’t think even we could calm him down.” Zane tried to lighten the mood, and it worked a bit. Yusuke raised his gaze to look at his friend.

“I don’t want you both getting in trouble for me. I just need some time Zane, I’m sorry.” Yusuke jerked his hand free from where Zane had a hold and took off down the path.

Zane was left staring after him, concern clear in his teal eyes. The sound of the door opening once more had both of them turning to look who was coming out. Atticus saw himself from two years ago walk out and down the path. He stopped in front of Zane and put an arm around him, his eyes looking in the direction where Yusuke had taken off.

“Is Rico still alive?” Zane questioned after a moment of silence.

“Yeah, but he learned his lesson really quick. He will be apologizing to Yusuke when he sees him again.”

Atticus found it weird that he was seeing another version of himself in front of him. Zane shook his head, and moved away. He looked to where the memory version of Atticus stood and smiled.

“I am going to go find him. I know I can calm him down, you just try to not get yourself in any more trouble,” Zane said and took off in the direction of Yusuke.

The scene flashed black once more and Atticus was prepared to find himself in his prison. However it simply bled to another memory. It was the basement of the currently abandoned dorm. The strange symbols were carved into the stone. He looked around, feeling more than a little disoriented from the constant shifts.

He blinked his sight clear and looked around at the stone walls and floor. Even as a witness to memories, the symbols still gave him the creeps. Looking around, he spotted Yusuke walking to the center in the sunken portion of the room. He had a mask in his hand, and Atticus froze when he realized what it was. It was the same demonic mask that was now sealed in the card. The same mask that possessed Zane and turned him into Hell Kaiser.

“Yusuke!” Zane’s voice echoed in the room.

Atticus turned his attention and saw Zane rushing down. His teal eyes were wide with concern and his face was flushed, obviously from running. Zane stopped next to where Atticus stood, still invisible to the two here, and looked down at Yusuke. Yusuke, for his part, looked up and looked blankly at Zane.

“What are you doing? You know what Professor Banner said about messing with the dark arts. So why are you doing this?” Zane yelled at him.

It was a rare display of unfiltered emotion. Zane was normally so composed, he almost came off as unemotional to those that didn’t know him. So to see him yell down at Yusuke like this… Atticus had a feeling he was going to be getting his answers within this memory.

“I am simply doing what needs to be done. Bonds with others cause nothing but pain and anguish when they are broken. So I am destroying those bonds first,” Yusuke said simply. He looked down at the mask in his hand and slipped on his face. A blast of dark energy surrounded him and Yusuke gave Zane a twisted smile. “I’ve finally found it. A power that has never been found before. A power deeper and stronger than that of the dark world.”

Zane clenched his fists and jumped off the ledge to get closer to Yusuke. Atticus nearly had heart failure seeing Zane head straight for the dark energy. It died down and the energy was just simple wisps around the feet of his two friends. Zane stood a few feet from Yusuke, a hard expression on his face.

“You need to stop, Yusuke. If your research is accurate, in order to acquire that power…” Zane trailed off. His complexion was as white as their jackets.

“I must offer up my soul,” Yusuke finished. His tone was void of any emotion at the moment. Turning, he fully faced Zane, and Atticus who stood rooted to the spot. “But I don’t mind Zane. I want the power that transcends mortality.”

The more he spoke, the more maniacal he sounded. It sent off alarm bells in Atticus’ mind, he wanted to yell for Zane to get out of there. He wanted to rage at Yusuke for doing something so outrageously foolish. More importantly he wanted to beat himself for not doing something sooner, when his uneasy feelings regarding his best friends started.

“Yusuke!” Zane called out suddenly.

Atticus wasn’t even aware he closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he saw Zane ripping something from Yusuke’s hands. Yusuke shoved him back, but relinquished the item to Zane. Once Zane had it in his possession, Atticus noticed it was a dagger. One that had fresh blood on it. Atticus looked over Zane, but didn’t see any visible injuries, so he turned his attention to Yusuke. Sucking in a breath, he realized Yusuke had sliced his arm. A steady stream of red was flowing down his arm, to where his fingers were balled into a fist, stopping the drops from hitting the floor.

“What are you thinking? Why are you doing this?” Zane demanded. His tone was cold as ice, he was fed up with his friend doing something so irresponsible.

Yusuke faced Zane once more, a sadistic grin on his face. “Eternal life and power!”

Zane looked dumbfounded by the answer. He was soon snapped out of his stupor when Yusuke started to open his fingers. “No! Don’t do it!”

It was too late, Yusuke opened his hand and the drops of his blood fell to the floor. As soon as a single drop landed in the center of the large symbol, once more the dark energy sprouted up and surrounded Yusuke. He opened his arms wide and accepted the dark energy, a smile on his face. Zane staggered back even further out of reflex and put an arm up to block his face.

The darkness enveloped the entire room, Atticus was not even spared. It reminded him dimly of the Dark Arena field spell Titan played against Syrus. He blinked his vision clear and saw both his friends floating in the air as well. Zane had his eyes closed, Yusuke was looking intently at Zane. When Zane opened his eyes, he blinked a few times.

“What… where are we?” Zane asked, looking around.

“This is the entrance to Darkness,” Yusuke responded. 

He reached up and took off the mask. Once it was removed, he let float to where Zane was. Atticus floated off to the side, looking at both of them. This was not what he hoped to see when he wanted answers. Yusuke really did do it all willingly, and the thought made Atticus more than a little sick to his stomach. Yusuke gave Zane a small, regretful smile.

“Zane, I’m truly sorry to involve you in this. I am choosing to become one with the darkness,” Yusuke said. His voice and face both showed the regret he felt.

Zane slashed a hand through the air. “Don’t do this. We can turn this around, perhaps Professor Banner can help undo whatever contract or seal you made.”

“There is no undoing what I decided to do. This has been my choice from the beginning,” Yusuke disagreed solemnly.

“Not according to Honest!” Zane spat out. He was at his limit here, that much Atticus could see.

“So you are saying you spoke with Honest?” Yusuke questioned back. Atticus noticed strange markings appearing on Yusuke’s face and the skin of his arm that could be seen from where he cut himself. He couldn’t figure out what they were.

“Honest reached out to Cyber End Dragon. Cyber End convinced him to speak to me, that even though I don’t have the ability to see the spirits, I can hear them and communicate with them. When Honest told me what was going on… Yusuke you know Atticus and I would never forget you. We’re friends, and not to sound too much like Atticus, but that will never change!” Zane put as much emotion and passion into his voice as he could. Atticus could hear the desperation creeping in.

Yusuke simply stared at Zane, not an ounce of emotion crossing his face. Then suddenly he smiled sadly. The sight stopped Atticus’ heart, and Zane jerked back as he was electrocuted by the sight.

“I’m sorry Zane. I didn’t want to involve either you or Atticus in this. But you became involved when you kept trying to help me. So now that you are aware of the powers Darkness possesses, this mask will protect you.” Yusuke gestured toward the mask, indicating Zane should take it.

Zane looked at it, and Atticus watched the moment he had been dreading. Zane reached out and grasped the mask. Once he had a hold of the mask, it seemed to wrap a few dark tendrils around his wrist and Zane winced from the contact. He looked from the mask to where Yusuke was disappearing.

“I have no more need for this mask. Goodbye Zane,” Yusuke said softly. He smiled, a strange contradiction to what he was doing. “You are one of the only people I can call a true friend. You and Atticus are all I had.”

The darkness around them faded and Atticus was left staring at Zane. The teal haired duelist was shaking slightly, he lifted the mask slowly and looked at it. Atticus wanted to shout at him to throw the damn thing down. To never have anything to do with it, but once again he was reminded as Zane passed right through him, that he was an observer.

He turned and followed Zane out of the basement, during the walk he noticed the mask turned into a card and he slid it into his jacket pocket. It was then that Atticus noticed a slight discoloration on Zane’s right wrist. At the time, he asked Zane about it, and Zane responded he hit his wrist against something. Atticus had been foolish enough to buy it. Now he knew that mark was from Hellshroud’s dark energy.

So many pieces of the puzzle were fitting together now. And it was clear that he really didn’t want these answers, he saw one of his best friends give his boyfriend a demonic mask that ended up possessing him. Atticus closed his eyes once more, and when he opened them he was again in the strange limbo stage where Alexis, Chazz and Zane were.

He sank to his knees and felt exhaustion course through him. He finally had some answers, but they left a twisted feeling in his mind. It made him wonder, did he even really know Yusuke? If Yusuke was the type of person to do such things… then who was the kind and intelligent teen who had been his friend for three years.

Atticus looked to where Zane was still unconscious. His shoulders moved with every breath he took, other than that there was no sign of him being alive. Zane had kept those conversations from him and Atticus had been foolish enough to not push. Closing his eyes, he leaned back and sat cross legged with his face in his palm. So many painful emotions were running through him, but he realized that at the forefront… was still the drive to find Yusuke.

In the last memory Zane mentioned that Honest reached out to him, regarding his concern about Yusuke. So clearly Yusuke wasn’t in his right mind, or even the possibility that there was an outside force controlling him. If Hellshroud managed to possess Zane, then there was a good chance he possessed Yusuke and drove him to do those things.

“Why, why would Yusuke do this? What made him think he had to do that, and to give the mask to Zane,” Atticus was muttering under his breath.

While he had his face buried in his hands, Atticus didn’t realize that another flash had occurred. This one transported to was when the group of students vanished. When he finally raised his head, he realized he was in Zane’s room from two years ago. It had the usual set up of all the other Obelisk rooms. But he could tell it was Zane’s because said teal haired duelist was sitting at his desk.

Atticus blinked and walked closer, wondering what was going on this time. Zane was leaning over his desk and had notes spread out and a book open. He was looking through the book and making notes, in usual cursive handwriting.

“Damn it,” he swore suddenly. Atticus was shocked, Zane never did that before. “Yusuke, what the hell did you do?”

Atticus raised an eyebrow at that. Looking at the contents around the desk, he noticed the mask. It was no longer in the form of a card, but actually a mask. The light glinted off the blue jeweled eye slots. Dark energy still emanated from it, even Atticus, who was an invisible witness to the past event, was uneasy around it.

“Yusuke, none of this makes sense,” Zane muttered again.

A knocking sound brought Zane’s attention from his research, to the door. He shoved back from the desk and walked over to the door. When Zane opened it, Atticus saw Professor Banner standing on the other side. His face still had the creepy smile, his glasses glinted in the hallway light and Pharaoh hung in his arms. He wore his usual white shirt and black pants. His black hair was pulled back, but the strands hanging on the sides were askew.

“Zane, good you are still awake. I wanted to let you know that there will be a duel exam tomorrow in the basement. The entire class will be participating. You were the only one to not respond to the message I sent out, so I wanted to make sure you knew to head there instead of the classroom,” Professor Banner said cheerfully.

“I apologize for not responding. I have been looking into some personal research.” Zane paused for a moment and looked closely at Professor Banner. “After the exam, would you be willing to look at some notes I took? Maybe give me some pointers on if I am on the right track or if I need to adjust?”

Banner smiled widely. “Of course. Once the exam is complete the class will be done for the day. So we should have plenty of time afterwards to go over anything you wish. Bring it to the classroom after the test.”

Zane looked slightly relieved that Banner would be willing to help him. He nodded his head respectfully to Banner and closed the door after he turned and walked away. Atticus got a good look at Zane from the front now. Zane’s face was pale, there were dark smudges under his eyes, clearly from lack of sleep. His shoulders were held tense, as if he was fighting to keep himself upright. His hair was slightly messed up, possibly from him running his hands through it. He didn’t look like himself, and it worried Atticus.

Zane walked over to the bed and sat down. He placed his hand against his face and let out a weary sigh. Moving his hand, he grabbed his alarm clock and set an alarm. Once that was done, he carefully laid down on his side facing the wall with the glass door. His tired teal eyes, stared blankly into the night. After a few minutes, his eyes closed and his breathing evened out. Atticus looked at Zane’s sleeping form, his heart breaking. It was clear that he felt the need to handle this on his own, and Atticus had been useless to help the person he loved.

White flashed for a moment and once again he was in the basement of the dorm. Professor Banner was standing in the center, with someone Atticus had never seen before. The form was covered in darkness and Atticus couldn’t make out who it was.

“Are they all coming?” the mysterious form asked, and the voice sounded male.

“Yes, I made sure that Zane would be here especially. As well as the other students from my class. The only ones who won’t be here are Atticus Rhodes nor Yusuke Fujiwara. Yusuke gave himself into the darkness and Atticus was never in this class. So I had no reason to ask him to be present,” Professor Banner responded.

“Well at least one of them will be here. I want to get these experiments under way. I have high hopes for Zane ‘Kaiser’ Truesdale. Even Sheppard mentioned on many occasions how talented he is. If he makes it through this trial… I want him as a Shadow Rider,” the shadow form said once again.

“Of course,” Banner responded.

The two down in the center suddenly turned toward where Atticus stood frozen. For a moment, Atticus thought they could see him. But after a moment, he could hear footsteps and talking. The shadow form disappeared and Professor Banner was alone in the center. He plastered that creepy smile on his face and waited for the members of his class to appear.

Out of the doorway walked the students from Professor Banner’s Alchemy class. Atticus stopped breathing when he saw Zane at the front of the group. He still looked drained, but a determined glint shone his eyes. He looked around the room and Atticus could see him repress a shudder that wanted to run through his frame. It was clear he had a bad reaction to seeing the symbols once more.

“Welcome class. I am so glad you all came.” Banner’s smile turned slightly deranged. “Now let the test begin.” He snapped his fingers and shadows erupted around everyone.

Zane tensed up and clicked his duel disk open, as if it was the only weapon he had. The other students did the same and they all noticed something was wrong. Panicked shouts and screams came from everyone. Zane shoved his way forward to Banner and shot him a cold glare.

“What is this? This isn’t a test, this is dark magic!” Zane snapped out.

“Yes, now you all are going to be our test subjects. Don’t worry my boy, I have high expectations for you. I know you will make it, and Yusuke gave you the means to get out,” Banner responded. No inflection in his tone.

Zane pulled his arm back and clenching his fist, punched Banner. However it simply went through, and Zane staggered to try and regain his footing. Whipping around, Zane noticed the dark shadow creatures making their way to him. He backed up and hit the other wall. Looking up, he noticed he had nowhere to run. The other students were already being overtaken by the creatures and Zane was the last one standing.

While he was looking around, the creatures managed to attach to him and started covering him. Atticus watched in horror, this was how Zane vanished as did the other students in the class. It was then that Atticus had a shocking realization come to him.

Yusuke asked the two of them to take the Alchemy class with him. Atticus at the time, told him he wasn’t interested in it, and opted to sign up for a second PE class. Zane on the other hand did sign up for it with Yusuke. That was the connection, it wasn’t just random students… it was everyone in Banner’s Alchemy class.

Atticus watched, unable to move or do anything. He saw Zane vanish, and once more the room was empty. Atticus couldn’t breathe. He now had answers, and not all of them were what he wanted. Banner was working with someone, and it must be the head of the Shadow Riders that not even Zane met.

The scene faded and he was once more in the suspended space. Atticus noticed little black spots in the corners of his vision, and he sucked in a breath. Falling back he fell on his butt, he looked into the darkness around him. His eyes couldn’t focus, neither could his mind.

“Now you know everything,” a cold voice said.

Atticus whipped his head to the side and saw someone standing by Zane’s comatose body. He looked down at Zane and back to Atticus. He wore a mask similar to Hellshroud’s mask Zane wore. The light blue jewels for the eyes and the red jewel on the forehead. But the edges were sharper and it covered the entire face, nothing was visible. He wore a dark color jacket with jagged, sharp edges on the waist and shoulders. The collar was high and the jacket was open. His shirt was form fitting and had a strange line pattern. Almost as if it outlined his muscles. What was the most disturbing however was the hair. 

“You wanted answers, and now you have them. Do you regret your decision?” the person spoke once more.

Standing up, Atticus slammed a fist against the side of his prison. His eyes were narrowed and he snarled back at the person. “Get away from him! He’s suffered enough for two years!”

“I will not be here long. I just allowed you to witness the memories you wished to see. Now that you have all your information, I ask you again. Do you regret your decision?” The person didn’t move a muscle.

Atticus took a breath and closed his eyes. That was the million dollar question, did he? Seeing Zane and Yusuke’s faces flash in his mind. The bond the three of them shared, the friendship, all the memories. Their faces smiling back at him, as they stood for the picture Yusuke wanted. His eyes snapped open and he looked at the person across from him. Still standing by Zane’s form, almost in a protective stance.

“No, no I don’t regret it.” His eyes went from Zane to the person standing there, and decided to take a chance. “I would never regret getting the truth. You should know that, Yusuke.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I went on a major writing binge with this chapter. It annoyed me how Yusuke was NEVER mentioned in any of the earlier seasons. Not even by Zane who was apparently one of his closest friends in the anime. So I decided to throw parts with Yusuke throughout this story, hence where this chapter came from. I watched parts of season 4 to get a basic idea for Yusuke, but obviously this is an AU so his character is slightly different. He will be showing up again. I actually fell in love his character, so I am going to be including him in it more. Not just in this story, but in the other I am working on. So what do you all think of this chapter? What do you think of Atticus finally getting his answers? As always thoughts, comments and predictions welcome. Stay safe and healthy everyone!


	32. Where it all Began

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

The trio of Slifers looked around in horror as the five pillars of lights were shooting from the depths of the water up beyond the clouds in the sky. Syrus trembled slightly, his flashlight shaking in his grasp. Chumley was out right shaking, terror in his dark eyes and sweat rolling down his face. Jaden was the only one who wasn’t trembling at the sight before them. He looked up to the sky calmly and his form was still.

“What’s going on around here?” Chumley said suddenly.

Syrus looked around and nodded his head in agreement with Chumley. “Yeah, those five laser beams just shot out of nowhere,” Syrus chimed in.

Jaden became even stiller at Syrus’ comment. His brown eyes widened as the implications hit him all at once. The Ojama Brothers said that Chazz was defeated, and the Shadow Rider made comments about Alexis and Atticus. He looked at the cards in his hand, Ojama Yellow was sobbing and Jaden could hear the other two Ojamas doing the same.

“Uh oh, I don’t think they shot out from nowhere Sy,” Jaden corrected. “They shot out from the Spirit Gates. Five of them are now unlocked, thanks to that last Shadow Rider. He managed to beat not only Chazz, but Atticus and Alexis as well.”

“That’s right,” Ojama Yellow’s voice came from the card. Jaden looked down at it and Ojama Yellow turned around and Jaden saw the tear flowing. “That Seventh Shadow Rider is vicious.”

“So that means, Sy and I are the only ones left.” Jaden’s tone was so soft, the other two almost missed it.

“Oh wow, this Seventh Shadow Rider must be really good,” Chumley said. He was worried about his friends.

“No joke. Jaden, let’s get out of here. We need to regroup and think of something. This guy is now going to be looking for us!” Syrus said. He was actually freaking out, and wanted to find a place to calm down before he would dueling, literally for his life.

“We aren’t going to go hide, Sy!” Jaden exclaimed. Syrus looked at him with wide blue eyes. Jaden turned around and looked at Syrus and Chumley. “Look, our friends need our help and we’re going to give it to them. We have no choice, when we made the commitment to protect these keys, we swore to fight to the end.”

“Yeah, you’re right Jay.” Syrus straightened his spine and rolled his shoulders back. He did make a promise, and he would keep it.

“Besides, we don’t have to worry about this Shadow Rider finding us.” He clenched a fist and flashed a smile at his friends. “Because we are going to find him first, and put a stop to his reign of terror.”

“Uh, am I included in this? Because ya know, I’m not a Key Keeper and also allergic to Shadow Riders,” Chumley said. He clutched Pharaoh to him as a talisman for safety.

Jaden smiled at Chumley and brought a fist up. “You better believe it, Chum. You’re our friend, and I want you there to see when Sy and I beat this guy and we save the world! Everything we have been working for, it all comes down to this.”

Chumley looked to Syrus first and then Jaden. Jaden was smiling at him, holding a fist out in the middle of their group. Syrus nodded his head and put his hand on top of Jaden’s. Chumley looked on, and then smiled back at them. He moved an arm free and placed his larger hand on their smaller ones. Sharing a look, they all knew that they would stand by one another no matter what.

“I have a feeling I know where this last Shadow Rider is hiding. Let’s head to the abandoned dorm, that’s where all this started in the first place,” Jaden said suddenly. He looked at Syrus and a thought came to him. “Hey Sy, why don’t you see if you can get a hold of Zane. If Atticus was beaten then maybe we should make sure he’s alright.”

Syrus went white as a ghost and pulled out his Duel Link. Typing in the numbers at record speed, he put it on speaker and waited for his brother to answer. However, all they heard was the busy signal, indicating the person was not in range. Syrus stopped breathing for a moment, panic set in and had him wondering if something happened to Zane, and he didn’t know about it.

“Let’s head to the school and see if we can find him. Maybe Chancellor Sheppard has an idea,” Jaden tried to soothe him. He could see the worry in Sy’s eyes, and it had him worrying. They didn’t even think about Zane and his whole issue with the Shadow Riders. If Atticus was defeated, then someone needed to keep an eye on Zane.

Without waiting for another word, Syrus took off toward the school. They all ran through the dark forest and finally made it to the edge. The school was in sight and they made their way hurriedly to the academic building. Once inside, Syrus made a beeline for Sheppard’s office and barged right in, not even thinking about etiquette to knock. Sheppard turned from where he was looking out the window to look at the trio.

He saw that both Jaden and Syrus had their Spirit Keys, so at least there were two safe. His face was drawn in a mask. He looked at them and noticed the younger Truesdale was pale and wide eyes looked at him. He fully turned his body around to give them his undivided attention.

“I see you two still have your keys. Keep them safe. Now Truesdale, what’s wrong?” he asked solemnly.

“Have you seen my brother? We found out that Atticus, Alexis and Chazz were all defeated by the Seventh Shadow Rider. And when I tried to call my brother, he didn’t answer.” Syrus was sucking in lungfuls of air.

“No, Truesdale came to speak with me this afternoon, but then went to meet up with Rhodes.” Sheppard’s eyes widened at the implication. “Let me pull up security footage.” 

He sat down at his desk and began bringing up footage. He found the footage of Zane walking out of his office and down the hallway to outside. He found the continued video where Zane was outside. The camera was a distance away, so they just saw his outline leaning against the building. Then he suddenly looked to the side and backed up, before turning and running away. A strange dark cloud followed him and that was all they saw.

Syrus stopped breathing with the implication hitting him. That dark cloud could have been the Seventh Shadow Rider. Dark spots danced on the corners of his vision, and Sheppard reached out to steady the young duelist. His eyes were hard as he looked from Syrus to the screen. He didn’t have any footage from where Truesdale would have run into the forest. However if Zane was not answering his link, and they couldn’t find him… the implication was too painful to think about.

Sheppard looked at the three Slifers before him. He had to admit to himself that there is now a crushing weight on their shoulders. But they were still standing for a reason, and he needed to have faith in them. His eyes hardened and he rolled his wide shoulders back.

“Jaden Yuki, Syrus Truesdale.” He waited until both young teens met his eyes. “The two of you are now standing between the last of the Shadow Riders and the Sacred Beasts. I fully believe that both of you will do what needs to be done and succeed. I have the utmost faith in both of you.” He ended his ‘pep talk’ with a head bow and smile.

“Don’t worry Chancellor. Syrus and I are going to win and rescue our friends,” Jaden proclaimed. He put a closed fist to his chest and smiled. “Let’s go, Sy, Chum. We have a world to save.”

Sheppard smiled and bid the duelists farewell. Sinking back into his seat, he looked at the security footage one last time. Seeing Truesdale running from something, drove home how much the last two years tortured him. But he was proud of his former student, he didn’t let fear keep him down long. So Sheppard had the feeling, even though the Shadow Rider may have won, it wasn’t an easy battle.

He truly prayed for the safe return of the fallen duelists, as well as the two remaining Key Keepers.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The trio of Slifers ran out of the building and started to make their way to the abandoned dorm. All of them could feel it, that was where the last duel would take place. However, Amnael grew impatient waiting for them in the basement of the dorm. Gathering his dark Shadow Magic, he let loose a lightning blast.

The blast struck a nearby tree. Jaden stopped running and he looked where the lightning hit, face going white he screamed and dove out of the way. Syrus and Chumley were left wondering what was wrong with their friend, when they heard the tree starting to come down. Both let out screams of their own and jumped away. The crash that echoed around them rivaled a thunder clap.

Jaden pushed himself up and looked around nervously. “Uh… timber?” he said.

“Not funny Jaden!” Syrus yelled at him as he also rose up from the ground.

A strange sound caught their attention and they turned to look. Where the three had broken in half, there was smoke coming from the bark and a strange neon green symbol was lit up. It was an incomplete circle, with a dot in the center. Jaden felt his eyes widen, he felt he knew this mark.

“Hey, look.” Jaden pointed to the mark.

“The Mark of Amnael!” Chumley exclaimed.

The mark disappeared and reappeared a few feet away. This repeated many times and it went deep into the trees. The trio stared after it, when it finally clicked what it was trying to do. Trying to tell them.

“It’s trying to lead us somewhere,” Syrus said. He pointed his flashlight in the direction it went.

“Not licious,” Chumley cried. He pulled Pharaoh closer. His rotund frame trembling at the thought.

“Well if this guy wants to lead us right to him… then who are we to not accept!” Jaden yelled. He clenched a fist, and took off in a sprint.

They followed the mark down the dark path and as they thought, the mark appeared one last time on the door of the abandoned dorm. Syrus felt dread settle in his gut. This was the place that held so many bad memories, it was the place where his brother originally vanished from. Where Titan used him as bait to lure Jaden into a duel. Finally where Syrus beat Titan and freed his brother.

Things were truly coming full circle. It all started here, and it would all end here now. Jaden and Syrus shared a look and nodded their heads. This would be the time to end it, and get revenge for all the missing students.

They walked in the house and looked around at the desolate and disarray of the room. Furniture was still covered up, walls and floors were dilapidated. Jaden remembered finding the photograph of Zane hanging on the wall. That photo was still in a folder that Syrus kept. Making a sharp turn, they made their way down the hallway to the basement door.

Opening it, they cringed at the creaking sound that came from the rusty hinges. Thunder crashed and lightning lit up the sky. It caused them all to jump in fright. This was straight out of a murder/horror movie. Complete with the three teens walking into basically a haunted abandoned building.

Pharaoh had enough and with a loud meow, jumped out of Chumley’s arms. With the next lightning flash they saw the well fed cat running across the wood floor and was out of sight from the group.

“Pharaoh!” Jaden yelled out.

“Wait up!” Syrus yelled.

Running after the cat, they all made their way down the stone hallway. Down they went to the basement of the abandoned dorm, where the Seventh Shadow Rider was more than likely waiting.

“This is so not cool,” Chumley muttered. He had his flashlight out and moving along the dirt path they were walking. Something caught his eyes and he stopped walking, forcing the other two to do the same. “Look, a passageway.”

Jaden and Syrus looked down where Chumley was looking. The rock wall had a hole in it, and the sturdy wood boards were broken and off to the side. The opening was fairly small, definitely big enough for a cat, and possibly just big enough for someone like Syrus.

“Pharaoh’s paw prints head down that way too!” Chumley exclaimed.

“Well what are we waiting for? Let’s make the opening big enough for us to get through,” Jaden said confidently. He rolled up the sleeves of his red jacket and got to work. Syrus and Chumley started to help and they were able to get the opening large enough for them to fit through. Sweat was rolling down their faces and necks, but it paid off when they slid through the opening.

Making their way down the strange pathway they looked around. The floor, walls and above them were all made of stone. As if this was a naturally formed cave, not something made when the dorm was built. Jaden suddenly stopped and stopped breathing. Syrus and Chumley slammed into him and looked at the brunette Slifer in confusion.

“Is it me, or is that door new?” Jaden asked, pointing a finger at the door.

The other two looked at the door and tried to wrack their memories, but came up empty. None of them seemed to remember the large wooden door. It looked strangely new for being in such an underground section of the island. Jaden bit his lip and looked at his friends, looking for confirmation that he wasn’t crazy.

“That’s it, let’s ignore it!” Syrus squeaked out. He started backing up instinctually.

“Sounds good to me,” Chumley said with a forced smile as well. He was backing up right along Syrus.

Jaden simply looked over his shoulder at Syrus and Chumley. His brown eyes settled on Syrus, a knowing look in their depths. Jaden knew that Syrus wanted to be brave, but any sane person WOULD be running for the hills. However they needed to do this. Not just to save the world, but they had friends to rescue from this Shadow Rider.

“Sy, we need to do this. If not for yourself or the world… you need to do this for Zane. The Shadow Rider targeted him and he may have been taken hostage again. He needs you once again, you can’t let him down,” Jaden spoke softly.

It seemed to work, because Syrus snapped his spine straight. A determined glint lit his light blue eyes and he sucked in a breath and blew it out. He stalked forward and stood side by side Jaden, his eyes narrowed at the door in front of him.

“Let’s go. I want to make this guy pay for what he did to my brother. It’s clear that he is the one who hurt him the most and I want him to feel what Zane went through.” Syrus spoke with such determination that it made Jaden smile. He could see flames of the will to fight and duel burning in his eyes and around him.

“Then let’s go Sy. We are going to do this for everyone.”

Jaden and Syrus walked forward and it took both of them to open the door. While it looked newer, the hinges were rusted shut. The same with everything else in this dorm. Once the door creaked open, they shined their lights in and looked around.

It was set up in a laboratory setting. Machines none of them could identify lined the room. The room itself was laid out in a circular setting. A sunken part of the room was in the middle. It had the same Mark of Amnael in it. Three strange stone tablets were on the far side of the room, depictions of monsters that none of them recognized were prominent.

“This is like a lab out of a horror movie,” Jaden whispered as he looked around the room.

“So where’s the mad scientist?” Chumley asked with a nervous laugh.

Syrus suddenly let out a high pitch squeak. Both of the other two looked at him in confusion. He was shaking and sweat was rolling down his cheeks. He squeezed his eyes closed, but the image of what he saw was forever burned in his brain.

“I’m not sure… but if it's where my gut tells me…” He pointed in the direction to show what frightened him. “I may need a change of pants.”

The taller two looked over and gasped. Leaning against the wall at an angle was a coffin. It looked old, it was pitted and had obvious wear to it. Jaden gulped and started walking toward it. Both Chumley and Syrus reached out their hands to stop him.

“You know, maybe it’s a refrigerator box…” Chumley through hopefully.

“Yeah that’s it… Jaden get back here,” Syrus called out. He started making his way over to where Jaden was standing beside the coffin.

“Chumley come help us open this!” Jaden called over.

Chumley backed up and put a hand behind his head, laughing nervously. “Sorry Jay, I’m only good at opening pickle jars and potato chip bags.”

“He’s not qualified, Jaden. Let’s let the coffin be. We are looking for a Shadow Rider, not Dracula,” Syrus pleaded. He didn’t want to open the coffin and he knew Jaden well enough that it would happen.

“I bet he would be ‘qualified’ if it was full of grilled cheese,” Jaden shot back. Blowing out an exasperated sigh, he turned back to the coffin. Placing his hands on the edge of the lid he grunted as he struggled to push the lid open. “No matter, I can do this myself.”

The lid started to slide off, so Jaden pushed harder. The stone top slid to the ground finally. The loud crash and dust that floated up. Jaden jumped back in surprise and covered his face from the dust. Inside the velvet lined coffin was the mummified remains of a human.

“It’s a mummy…” Jaden whispered.

Syrus and Chumley hugged one another and whimpered. This was starting to turn out to be terrifying. Seeing a coffin was one thing, but now seeing a body inside it, was more than the Slifers could take. Jaden simply stared at the mummy, there was something familiar about it. He just couldn’t quite place why. A horrifying thought came to him and he reached a hand back to the other two.

“Hey, one of you, give me your flashlight. There is something I want to check,” Jaden said in a quiet voice.

Syrus handed his flashlight over, confusion clear on his face. He scooted closer to see what Jaden was talking about. Once he was close enough, he saw what Jaden was talking about. The body did look familiar. It had long black hair, glasses and a white lab coat. The two of them shared a look, and Jaden moved the flashlight over the jacket, black writing catching his attention.

“Well only way to find out if what we think is true.” The brunette Slifer moved his hand carefully and pulled back the lapel of the white lab jacket. Once the jacket was moved back, written in black, block letters read; BANNER. “It is… the Professor.”

“Wait, what?!” Chumley demanded. He shuffled closer and looked where his friends were. “No way, the Professor couldn’t have mummified that quickly. I can’t even make beef jerky in the time he’s been missing.” He couldn’t believe it.

“Wait, if Professor Banner has turned into a mummy… Chumley’s right. He couldn’t have been the same Professor we all knew. More importantly he couldn’t have been behind the disappearances of the missing students,” Syrus whispered. “But if this is Professor Banner, then who was the person we thought was Professor Banner?”

Suddenly the lights in the room all turned on and it was so bright it blinded the trio. Blinking their eyes clear, they tried to focus on what was going on. Looking to one another, hoping to see the answers they wanted.

“That is the body of the one you once knew as Professor Banner. However the person you knew this entire time was ALSO Professor Banner,” a distorted voice echoed around them.

“Who’s there?” Jaden demanded. He whipped around and brought his duel disk up as if it were a weapon.

Syrus stood by him and did the same. He wasn’t going to go down without a fight, and he sure as heck wouldn’t drag Jaden down either! Chumley gulped but looked around the room. He was worried for his friends. 

“The Seventh Shadow Rider,” the voice cackled.

Everyone gasped when they say the person walk out. He wore his gray cloak and had his face covered by the mask and scarf. His black pants and boots were as dark as night. He barely made a sound when he moved, in fact if he hadn’t spoken, they wouldn’t have noticed him come up behind them.

Syrus let out a gasp and so did Jaden. They recognized him from the memory Cyber End Dragon showed them. This was the person who took Zane’s memories and sealed them using dark magic. He was responsible for what the older Truesdale endured, and seeing him in person it made Syrus’ blood boil.

“That’s him! That’s the duelist that took down Chazz. And he said he took down Atticus and Alexis.” Ojama Yellow pointed at Amnael and then hid behind Jaden’s shoulder when Amnael looked in the duel spirit’s direction. “But you gotta beat him! You just gotta get Chazz back!”

Jaden glared balefully at the Seventh Shadow Rider. His anger and will to take this person down, grew with every second he looked at him. Suddenly the guy let out a distorted laugh and it sent chills down the spines of the friends.

“It’s true Jaden and Syrus. In order to get any of your friends back you will have to beat me… Amnael.”

“So you’re Amnael!” Jaden yelled at him.

“That’s right.” He reached a gloved hand into his cloak and pulled out an ancient looking book. “And I have Chazz Princeton, Atticus and Alexis Rhodes… as well as Zane Truesdale sealed in here. And if you want to get them back you will have to defeat me.”

Jaden and Chumley looked to Syrus in concern. He was still as a statue, face was white for a moment, but then an angry flush started to spread across his face. His eyes blazed with hatred and it was directed at the person standing before them.

“You took my brother again?!” Syrus yelled. Jaden jumped in shock with the force of his voice. “Haven’t you tortured Zane enough? He doesn’t have a Key, he isn’t a threat to any of you!”

“That’s where you are wrong my child. Kaiser poses more of a threat than you know. The knowledge he possesses could bring our entire organization down. Also, with his relationship to Atticus and being your older brother, he was the perfect bait.” Amnael let out a maniacal laugh.

The symbol on the book lit up and all of their eyes flashed. Blinking their vision clear, they saw a strange sight in front of them. It appeared they were floating in the darkness of space. There were four circular shaped planets floating behind Amnael. The friends gasped as they saw people in the planets. They saw Chazz first and he was lying on his back, clearly unconscious. Alexis was next and she was lying on her stomach, face to the side. Her breathing was even and her eyes were closed. Atticus was next, but unlike the other two, he was awake and clearly angry.

He was glaring at something… or someone. Finally they saw Zane slumped on his side against the planet’s side. His hair was covering his face, but they saw his shoulders moving up and down evenly. It appeared he was unconscious. However the most concerning thing was the person standing next to Zane’s slumped form.

He was on the taller side, messy green hair that brushed his shoulders and a version of Hellshroud’s mask covering his entire face. The dark, leather jacket was on the sharper and evil look. It appeared he had horns on his shoulders and flaring from his waist. And it appeared that Atticus was glaring and arguing with the mystery person. But they couldn’t hear any of the words spoken.

The scene flashed and they were all once again in the strange room. Syrus lunged forward, ready to throttle the person who was responsible for what his brother went through. Zane suffered enough and Syrus was going to end the person who held most of the responsibility. Jaden wrapped his arms around Syrus’ waist and pulled him back.

“I will end you! You’re going to pay for what you did to my brother!” Syrus yelled, hatred clear in his voice.

“Syrus hold on!” Jaden exclaimed. He struggled to hold the smaller duelist. Somehow he was surprisingly and deceptively strong. “We will rescue Zane and the others. But we have to work together to do it! So take a breath and let’s get ready to duel with all our might!”

Syrus deflated in Jaden’s grasp. He was right, as much as the thought of wrapping his hands around the person’s throat, appealed to him he needed to win a duel to get everyone back. Jaden kept a grip on Syrus for a moment, to make sure he wasn’t faking and then let go. Syrus rolled his shoulders back and looked at Jaden and nodded his head.

“Let’s do this Jaden! We are going to win and get our friends back!” Syrus said, power in his tone. Jaden smiled and nodded his head in agreement with Syrus.

Both Slifers turned back to their mutual enemy. Smirking, they clicked open their duel disks and jumped into the sunken part of the room. Amnale did the same and they faced one another. Putting their decks into the slot, everyone drew their cards.

“Let’s duel!” all three duelists shouted.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus stared angrily at the person he was certain was Yusuke. Mixed feelings were running through his mind. He was glad to see that his friend was alive and they had a chance to rescue him. However the flip side of the coin was Yusuke was not innocent in this. He willingly gave himself to the dark arts.

“Why would you do this Yusuke? And why would you put Zane in that situation? We were all friends, all you had to do was reach out to us. Zane and I would have done ANYTHING to help you. Just… why?” Atticus asked, shoulders slumping in defeat.

Yusuke raised his hand, and took the mask off. Once again Atticus was looking at the violet eyes of one of his closest friends. Violet eyes that used to have a spark, that now were nothing but cold and lifeless. Atticus perked up, that was a sign that had him questioning. He could never picture Yusuke’s bright eyes, now so cold and emotionless.

“I did what I needed to do. I realized that if I threw those bonds away then I would never feel the pain I once did,” Yusuke spoke so matter of factly. But Atticus refused to believe it. “As for Zane, he was there when the ritual was completed. Unfortunately that meant he would need protection. So I gave him the mask to protect him.” Yusuke looked once more at Zane. “I never meant for him, nor you to ever go through pain. But I can help fix it.”

“I never forgot you Yusuke. Zane and I would never have done that to you. When you told us of your fear, that ensured that we would always be there for you,” Atticus reasoned. And then the last part of Yusuke’s statement clicked. “How are you going to fix this?”

Yusuke gave a cold smile, it was bone chilling cold. Atticus stopped breathing for a moment and took an instinctive step back. Yusuke’s smile widened and he let out a maniacal laugh. Placing a hand to his face, he covered his eyes. The tone of the laugh, drove home just how much Yusuke had changed.

“I control the absolute power of Darkness. Not even a master of the Dark Arts stands a chance against me. I plan on getting you both out of here. No one but ME has the right to erase you or our bonds.” Yusuke removed his hand and looked at Atticus with his violet eyes, that once again were cold, and emotionless.

Yusuke placed the mask on once more and he moved his hand in the air. Black tendrils started to rise from near his feet. Atticus felt his gut clench, and his gaze went dark. His eyes slid closed and he slumped against the misty wall of his planet prison.

Yusuke looked to the two who he once considered his closest friends. He cared for them, more than any other human beings. He would be the one to finish this, as he was the one who started it. He vanished into the space with a dark twist, leaving nothing where he once stood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is going in a direction I had not originally planned. But like I mentioned last chapter, I fell in love Yusuke's character. I can understand his reasons for what he did. He went to far yes, but that fear is legitimate and he had a horrible experience so young. So there will be more to come with him. But for this chapter, it was a lead up. The actual duel will start next chapter. And it won't go the same as canon. So any predictions as to what will come next? And what does Yusuke mean by he will be the one to fix it? I can't wait to hear what you all think. On a side note, I was offered a better job at a cardiology clinic. So I am so excited for this opportunity, and am guaranteed weekends off. So that means I can have time to write! Hope you all are safe and healthy. Look forward to action to come!


	33. Righting a Wrong

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: RIGHTING A WRONG

Jaden and Syrus were staring at Amnael as the duel started. Drawing their cards, Amnael did the same. He also removed his hood and white hair spilled out from the hood. Strands resting against his cheeks, while the majority of it was pulled back in a low tail.

“Are you ready for the Shadows?” Amnael asked in his distorted voice.

“If anyone is going to the shadows it’s you!” Syrus spat out. His blue eyes blazed with barely restrained furry. He was going to make this guy pay.

Jaden looked at his friend concerned. Syrus wasn’t acting like himself and they needed to be on the same page to win this duel. It was essentially a tag duel, the two of them would need to sync up to win here. And there was a lot at stake with this duel.

“Get your game on Amnael!” Jaden shouted.

“DUEL!” the three voices echoed around the room.

“We’re getting our friends back Amnael. So you better be ready to throw down!” Jaden said.

“Oh is that so?” Amnael responded mockingly. “But what if you two do not possess what it takes? Because in order to defeat me, you both will have to reach a whole new level of dueling expertise.” Amnael drew the card and looked at them. “I activate the spell card, Chaos Distill.”

A large contraption in the shape of an oval rose up behind Amnael. It was something none of the Slifers had ever seen. Nor had they ever heard of it. Syrus and Jaden shared a look and then looked back to Amnael and his strange spell card.

“Allow me to enlighten you all. Due to this card’s effect all my cards that would normally be sent to the graveyard, will instead be removed from play,” Amnael explained.

“Why would you want your cards removed from play?” Syrus asked.

Amnael ignored the question and instead continued on with his turn. “Now I will activate my second spell card, Steel Lamp.” The lamp appeared in the Chaos Distill and Amnael chuckled. “With Chaos Distill on the field, I can use Steel Lamp to summon Alchemy Beast- Salamandra the Steel.”

A steel dragon appeared on the field and roared at the Slifer Duo. 500 attack points flashed on the field, causing Jaden and Syrus to look at one another in confusion. All that for 500 attack points, something was up.

“You see, Alchemy Beasts can’t be summoned in the normal manner. But they can wage direct attacks against you! Which poses a triple threat for you both. With two other spell cards in my hand, Bronze Scale and Lead Compass… I can summon two more Alchemy Beasts! I summon Oroboros the Bronze and Leon the Lead.”

Twin flames shot up around Amnael once more and two more horrifying monsters appeared. One was a bronze colored snake with three eyes on each side of its head. The other was some kind of lion the color of silver with a neon colored mane. Both had the same 500 attack points as the first one.

Amnael let out a distorted laugh. “I will end my turn with a facedown.”

Jaden gulped and looked at Syrus. “Three monsters?! On the very first turn no less!”

Syrus felt his eyes widen and he took an instinctive step back. This guy was on a higher level than they were used to. The Slifers shared a look and they nodded their heads and straightened their spines, they wouldn’t be taken down so easily.

“If you think that was impressive Jaden, just wait until they attack.” Amnael crossed his arms and looked at them.

“Yeah, well Sy and I aren’t going to give them the chance!” Jaden drew a card and looked at it. “I summon Elemental Hero Bubble Man!” The aquatic hero emerged in a flash of water. 800 attack points flashed. “And since he’s the only one out, I get to draw two more cards. And I get the feeling they’re going to be some sweet ones.” Jaden drew his two cards and smiled. “It’s good to be right. I activate Bubble Blaster, which gives my hero an extra 800 attack points. Now Bubble Man, fire Bombarding Bubble Barrage!”

Bubble Man pulled the trigger on his blaster and fired. The attack went sailing toward Amnael’s monsters. Amnael however was prepared for the attack, he motioned toward his facedown card with a hand slash.

“I’m afraid that is one bubble I will have to burst. I activate my trap card, Elemental Absorber. With this trap, I can remove a card in my hand from play to negate the attack of your monster. As long as they both have the same attributes anyway,” Amnael said.

A black, spinning top with spikes lining the head appeared on the field and Amnael laughed.

“That’s not good,” Jaden muttered.

“No, no it’s not Jaden. Not when the card I am removing from play is Aqua Spirit.” Suddenly a wave of water erupted in front of Amnael’s monsters to protect them. The attack simply hit the wall of water and was absorbed.

“No, my attack!” Jaden yelled out.

“Your attack has been stopped,” Amnael supplied.

“Argh, I end my turn,” Jaden said. He looked to Syrus and nodded his head. “Sorry Sy, thought I could get us a lead.”

“Don’t worry about it Jaden. We will figure this out,” Syrus soothed. He drew a card and looked at his hand. He didn’t have anything to speak of, but what he did have he formulated an attack plan. “Alright I summon Submarineroid in attack mode.” The little submarine appeared and 800 attack points flashed. “And the best part is with his special ability, he can sneak past your monsters and attack your lifepoints directly.”

The monster did just that. And with no cards in Amnael’s hand, there was no way for him to absorb the attack with his Elemental Absorber. Jaden smiled at his partner, Syrus was going to help them take the lead.

With one blast, 800 of Amnael’s lifepoints were taken. He had a hand over his face, and the Slifers could imagine him narrowing his eyes at them. Syrus simply smirked and fist bumped Jaden.

“And the best part is, with his other special ability, he switches to defense mode to protect my lifepoints. And he has a whopping 1800. And with that I end my turn.”

Amnael looked at them and had to admit that he was mildly impressed. They were compensating for the other’s weaknesses, and made a formidable team. It was too bad he would have to end them. And they left him the opening to do just that.

“Well now that it is my turn once more, my monsters can attack you directly. And since you both are sharing the lifepoints, this attack will hurt you both. Go Salamandra the Steel, let loose Flame Shot of Ore.” The fire blasted both of them and they flinched with the heat. “Now Oroboros and Leon, attack them as well!”

The attacks landed and both Jaden and Syrus were flung back. Their backs slammed against the raised part. Both let out shocked gasps and felt searing pain through their bodies. Their eyes met, and shock was running through them. 1500 lifepoints in one swoop, this wasn’t looking good.

“Jaden, Syrus! You guys alright?” Chumley called out.

Both of them forced themselves to their feet and glared at Amnael before turning around to look at Chumley. Jaden forced a smile and gave a thumbs up. Syrus nodded his head and blinked his eyes a couple of times.

“Hang on you guys! If you can hang on through this turn, you both will have the upper hand!” Chumley yelled out encouragingly. He was worried, they were trying, but this guy seemed to have knowledge of their decks. It was uncanny how he seemed to know what Syrus and Jaden would do.

Amnael started to laugh and it caused all of them to back up. “Is that what you really think?”

“Uh…” Jaden trailed off.

“Perhaps you should have paid better attention during class. If you had, you would know that up against my Alchemy deck, things are NOT what they seem. I activate my spell card Black Process Negledo.”

However before Amnael could put his spell card in play, the space around everyone shifted. “I activate my field spell card Clear World.” The dark voice echoed around them.

They were suddenly encased in white light. Everyone looked around in confusion. Chumley felt like he should know this card… he had seen it played before. His dark eyes widened and he let out a squeak of shock.

Syrus and Jaden whipped around to look at their friend. “You ok Chum?” Jaden asked.

“This is a field spell that was used by one of the elite duelists that went missing two years ago,” Chumley responded.

“What are you talking about?” Syrus asked.

“There was another person who ranked at the top with Zane and Atticus. His name was Yusuke Fujiwara, and he used different kinds of monsters. Ones I never saw before, and he rarely dueled with them. Even though he was crazy good. This field spell was one he used before, and he is the only person I know who used it,” Chumley tried to explain his thoughts. His mind was so jumbled with denial… but what other option was there.

A maniacal laughter erupted around them. Jaden and Syrus gripped each other, there was true fear running through them. Even Amnael snapped his spine straight, he appeared just as concerned as they were. That alone told the Slifers something bad was happening.

“Yusuke… is that really you?” Amnael called out. He couldn’t believe it, Yusuke gave himself to the Darkness. He couldn’t be back.

A shimmering form appeared in front of Jaden and Syrus. Both jumped back in fright, the person literally came out of nowhere. He wore a black jacket that was similar to what Zane wore as Hell Kaiser. His green hair brushed his shoulders in a messy arrangement. The mask was as demonic as the version Zane wore. Except this one had even sharper edges and covered his entire face. Not a sliver of skin was visible, except for the fingers on his hands.

“You have no right to speak Amnael. Your pathetic power is but a fraction of the darkness I control.” A dark mist gathered around his left forearm, once it settled a duel disk was left in its place. “No one but me has the right to erase those bonds. By taking people I once cared for, you put your nose where it didn’t belong. I don’t care what you want with these pathetic Key Keepers, but to get in my way…” he trailed off ominously and shrugged his shoulders.

Amnael took a step back instinctively. The dark power radiating from Yusuke was far greater than his own. Yusuke turned around and looked at the two Slifers behind him. From behind the mask, they couldn’t see his expression, but Yusuke was curious about the smaller blue haired duelist. He had a resemblance to Zane, one that piqued Yusuke’s curiosity.

“Are you Zane’s brother?” Yusuke asked.

Syrus froze, he heard his brother mention the name Yusuke before… but he never met him. If this person was the other missing person, that would mean he was friends with Atticus and Zane. That made him wonder if he was an actual ally or an enemy… But he wasn’t sure what to think, nothing made sense around here anymore.

“Yeah, I’m Syrus. Zane is my older brother,” Syrus answered carefully.

“Is the bond with your brother that important to you? So important you would risk everything to help him?” Yusuke asked the next question. He truly couldn’t understand.

“My brother is everything to me. Of course our bond is the most important thing to me. When he was missing, it devastated my family. Now that he’s back, I will do anything to keep him from going through that again. That includes getting him back.” Syrus looked to Amnael, anger flowing through his veins once more. “I plan on making the person responsible pay.”

“Well… allow me to right the wrongs,” Yusuke said in a bone-chilling voice. He turned his attention to Amnael. “I will duel in their place. Amnael you have angered the wrong person. And you will learn that your measly knowledge of darkness is nothing compared to the vastness of what I know.”

Yusuke drew his cards and with the mask his face was hidden. But he was not allowing Amnael to hide his true identity any longer. With a wave of his hand dark energy swirled around Amnael and cracked the mask he wore. As the mask crumbled and fell to the ground, the three Slifers all gasped as they looked at the face of someone they knew all too well.

“Can’t… be…” Syrus murmured. His light colored eyes wide with shock.

“No way,” Jaden whispered. He brought a trembling hand up and pointed a finger between Yusuke and Amnael, his mouth hanging open at what he just witnessed.

“P-Professor Banner?!” Chumley stuttered out.

Professor Banner stared back at them, his eyes closed like normal and the glasses resting on his narrow nose. However what wasn’t normal was the strange bulging tendons on his face and neck, as well as the snow white hair.

“Wait, wait, wait a second!” Jaden yelled. Everyone looked at him. “If you’re Banner… then who's that mummy?” Jaden pointed a finger at the mummified remains in the coffin.

“That mummy is also me,” Banner responded in his normal voice. He then opened his eyes and the Slifers all stepped back, his eyes were blood red. He looked like a demon. “Oh my children… there is much more going on here-”

“Enough!” Yusuke declared. He had enough of Banner stalling. “You are now my opponent, that means you now deal with me.”

“I suppose so. This will be interesting, I am curious to see how much of the Darkness you have mastered. After all, you always were my star pupil in that class,” Banner said.

Yusuke drew a card and he felt himself smirk. This would be a one turn knock out, his promise to right the wrongs would be fulfilled. Raising his head, he met Banner’s gaze.

“I activate my spell card. This Clear Revelation allows me to see cards in your deck.” Holograms of Banner’s cards floated in front of everyone. Pointing a finger at a card, all the rest vanished and the card Yusuke pointed at, was added to his hand. “Now for a taste of your own bitter medicine Banner. I activate your magic destruction card.”

Amnael took a step back, he was about to be beaten by his own card. His red eyes were wide, this was not how his plans were supposed to go. Yusuke let out a loud manic laugh and put a hand over his mask.

“I believe you know which one I am talking about. This card destroys all the monsters on the field and you take damage equal to their combined attack points. So that is 500 for each Alchemy Beast which takes you to 1500. Plush Submarineroid which adds another 800 and finally Elemental Hero Bubble Man adds his 1600. So our grand total is 3900 points of damage. Say goodbye.” 

Yusuke slashed his hand to the side and a shower of fireballs came down on the field. All the monsters were destroyed and Banner was left standing in shock. Once the monsters all melted, he was dealt the damage. The 3900 points was enough to send him flying back and slammed his back against the ground. He was left looking up at the ceiling.

“You are finished, Banner. But the shadows aren’t finished with you.” Yusuke vanished into a dark mass and the mass twisted into tendrils. As the tendrils dissipated into nothing, the cold laughter was heard echoing in the room. “Just remember Banner, I possess the all encompassing power of the darkness. Now return Zane and Atticus at once, or I shall show you the true power of Darkness.”

Jaden, Syrus and Chumley were left staring shocked at what just happened. Banner was beaten in one turn, and he was decimated by a person they didn’t know. Syrus snapped out of his stupor first and stomped up to Banner, who was still lying on his back. He straddled Banner and wrapped his small hands around his throat.

“Give me back my brother!” he demanded, while shaking the dazed man.

“Sy, give him a minute. That blast was harsh and that Yusuke guy clearly didn’t care what damage he did,” Jaden tried to reason. He put a restraining hand on Syrus’ shoulder and held. Light blue eyes whipped up to meet brown ones. “We are getting them back, so just get off him for a minute.”

Syrus raised himself off Banner and stood glowering down at him. Banner blinked his red eyes, and looked to the Slifers who stood above him. Forcing himself into a sitting position, he opened the book, and everyone watched as four balls of light shot out.

“I have released the souls of those I captured, as promised.” He looked sheepishly at Jaden and Syrus. “I must apologize and give you both the truth. I joined the Shadow Riders in order to protect the world… not destroy it.”

“Bullshit!” Syrus exclaimed without thinking. Everyone stared at the tiny duelist in shock. He wasn’t one to swear like that. He saw the looks and his cheeks reddened with shame and he gave a sheepish shrug. “That came out with my thinking, sorry.”

“You may judge me however you wish, but I speak the truth. There is a greater evil and he is responsible for everything the students went through. I joined hoping to lessen their pain and to keep an eye on this group from the inside.” Banner’s eyes slid to Syrus. “I realize that what you witnessed your brother enduring was traumatizing for you. But I was able to spare him the greater pain.”

Banner pulled out the cursed book and started to hand it to Jaden. His face cracked like baked sand and he offered a weak smile. “I hope you both can forgive me, even though I truly do not expect you to. Be warned that the larger danger is coming, and you will need to be prepared. I leave this for you Jaden, and my heartfelt wishes for you to succeed.”

Jaden reached out and grabbed the book, as he did Banner’s entire body crumbled into dust. The Slifers jumped back in shock and looked behind them to see the mummy in the coffin crumble as well. Syrus stared at the dusty remains with mixed emotions. While he did like Banner to start and he was kind to them in the beginning, the hell he put Zane through outweighed his apparent kindness.

Jaden had a tear slid down his cheek and he hastily rubbed it. He looked at the book in his hands and then to his best friends. He knew Banner wasn’t an evil person, he refused to believe it. But he also knew that convincing anyone else of that was not going to happen. Syrus still held on to the anger, and he knew Atticus would as well.

He only hoped that when they all woke up, he could share that Banner warned them of the greater evil. Sighing, he looked at the other two and nodded his head towards the door.

“Let’s go find the others. Make sure they’re alright and get them medical attention if needed,” Jaden said solemnly.

Together in a morbid silence, the group made their way out of the basement of the abandoned dorm, to find their friends.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus first felt his head splitting and then the rest of his body started to ache. He forced open his chocolate eyes and looked around him. His vision was still blurry, but he was able to make out shapes. As he looked around in a daze around where he was laying on his back, he tried to blink his vision clear. Slowly memories started coming back and his eyes widened.

Her jerked upright and immediately regretted it. Pain coursed through his entire body, and he curled in on himself. Wide brown eyes looked around, checking to see if the two people he cared the most for were alright. He first saw his younger sister lying next to him on her side, her head tilted toward him. Gold eyes closed and a frown on her face and her breathing was even. He then looked toward the trees and saw Zane slumped over. His face was tilted downward and his teal eyes were closed and his mouth turned in a frown as well.

Atticus crawled on his hands and knees to where Zane was. Reaching him, he gently touched his cheek and rubbed his thumb over a small cut there. Forcing himself up, he sat beside Zane and pulled him close, simply holding him close to remind him that Zane was safe again. Closing his eyes for a moment, he took a deep breath and realized they were safe. They had somehow been returned to Earth and were alive. Opening his eyes again, he saw Sheppard running toward them with medical staff.

“Are you alright Rhodes?” Sheppard asked as he lowered himself to his knees. His round face was flushed with the exertion of running around looking for everyone once the light beams disappeared.

“Yeah… yeah I’m fine. Alexis and Zane are still unconscious and I’m worried about them…” Atticus trailed off and hugged Zane closer.

He looked over and saw Nurse Fontaine helping another female medical personnel put Alexis on a stretcher. Sheppard gave a small, calming smile. He knew Atticus would be even more glued to Zane’s side, and Sheppard was going to encourage it. Sheppard looked over his former student, sympathy and concern flowing through him at this traumatic event happening once more.

“Let’s get you all back to the infirmary. I want you all looked at and treated if need be. So let go of Truesdale just for the moment and we will get you back to the infirmary and you can cling to him again,” Sheppard joked.

Atticus flushed red for a moment and he reluctantly let Zane go. With a kiss pressed to the top of his boyfriend’s head, he let one of the medics get Zane on a stretcher and got him started on the pathway to the infirmary. Alexis was nowhere in sight, so Atticus assumed that they had already taken her there.

“Are you alright Atticus?” Sheppard asked quietly. He was concerned about the brunette duelist, Atticus was never this quiet.

Atticus looked at Sheppard and debated on whether he should say anything to him about what, or who, he saw. Flashes of Yusuke came to mind, from when they all met and Atticus declared them all friends for life. To when they all reached the top of Duel Academy, becoming the Elite Three and no one could top them. Finally the image of Yusuke with his cold and cruel eyes staring back at him. The person who was responsible for Zane’s strange behavior as well. It made him question everything about that friendship.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just worried about the others,” Atticus said finally. He decided he won’t bring up Yusuke just yet.

Sheppard smiled softly and patted his shoulder. “Jaden and Syrus still had their keys and if you are all back from being captured then they must have won. Put it out of your mind, you have carried enough weight. Let me take care of you all for a day.”

Atticus smiled and nodded his head. He would rest and hope that the others were safe. For the moment, his sister and boyfriend were now at the infirmary and would get whatever medical treatment was needed. His eyes slid closed as a pair of medics put him on the last stretcher and took him as well.

None of the people there noticed the dark clothed figure standing in the trees gazing down. Behind the mask, his face was impassive. Yet in his mind and soul conflict raged. The real part of Yusuke Fujiwara remembered his friends, the two people who cared about him. Never once did they abandon him and yet he felt as if he betrayed them.

“I kept my promise Atticus. I righted the wrongs those weaklings known as Shadow Riders caused. Only I have the right to erase you and Zane from this world if it should come to that. Keep yourself and Zane safe, for everyone’s sake,” Yusuke whispered. He wasn’t sure if it was him making that decision, or the darkness inside him.

Atticus opened his eyes into slits and turned his head toward the trees. An image of dark tendrils swirling around was the last thing he saw. Unease settled in his stomach, he knew there would be a worse battle coming. He also knew Zane and him would be at the center of it once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this would not work out in my head, no matter how many times I wrote and rewrote this. I knew how I wanted it to end, but overall not sure how I wanted to get there. So this was the best I could manage. I always wanted Yusuke to be the one to deal the final blow in this book. It would be a sense of poetic justice to me, since I firmly believe Banner pushed him in the direction of Darkness in canon. He will be playing a part in the next book I plan on making. But what did you guys think of Yusuke getting pissed enough he revealed himself and completely decimated Banner for interfering. Thoughts and comments welcome! Any predictions on what is to come? We are almost done with this first book. Stay safe and healthy everyone!


	34. Calm after the Storm

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: CALM AFTER THE STORM

When Zane woke up the first thing he noticed was that he was in a bed and not leaning against a tree trunk. His back and head hurt, but other than that he was fairly certain he was alright. Light beeping sounds could be heard. He slowly opened his eyes and squinted at the onslaught of light from above him. Blinking his eyes a couple of times, his vision began to clear and he looked around. He could see the outline of an oxygen mask attached to his face.

The next thing he noticed was Syrus sitting next to him, his smaller hands gripping Zane’s. He was leaning against the back of his chair and eyes closed. The steady rise and fall of his chest told Zane he was asleep. His eyes moved around the room and noticed everyone else in there as well. Atticus was in the bed next to him, attached to an oxygen machine, and an IV drip. Alexis was in the bed next to her brother hooked up to the same machines, and finally Chazz on the far bed. Jaden was dozing in a chair between Alexis and Chazz’s beds, while Chumley was asleep in a chair on the other side of Chazz.

Turning his head, he noticed that he was the only one hooked up to a heart monitor, it made him wonder if his heart had stopped again at some point. Bracing himself, he tried to force his body into an upright position. However when he did, pain flashed through him. He grimaced and had to take a couple deep breaths. His fingers balled into fists and that movement woke Syrus up.

Syrus blinked his eyes a couple times and took his round glasses off to rub his eyes. Placing his glasses back on his nose, he looked around in a daze. Zane saw the moment the fog of sleep cleared and he whipped his head around to look down. A smile broke out on his face, but it was forced. Reaching over with shaky hands, Syrus removed the oxygen mask and looked down.

“You alright big bro?” Syrus asked carefully. 

His gaze was guarded, and it confused the older Truesdale. It took a moment to realize that this was almost the exact same scenario when Zane woke up with no memories. Clearly Syrus was concerned that Zane would awaken yet again without any memories. He tried to smile reassuringly, but was fairly certain it came off as a grimace instead. Spasms of pain continued to radiate down his back and chest.

“I’m fine Sy. Just a little sore, but nothing that won’t heal in a little while,” Zane assured, his voice scratchy.

Droplets started to form in the corner of his light blue eyes. Forcing himself up, Zane reached over and gave Syrus a one armed hug. His left arm was hooked up to an IV and the heart monitor. Syrus let out a choked sob and leaned into the hug, happy and relieved tears flowing freely down his cheeks. The sight had Zane smiling slightly, he got to be a big brother, even his awkward comforting seemed to help.

“I’m glad you’re alright. I was so worried when you wouldn’t answer your duel link, and then Sheppard showed up the security footage.” Syrus raised his head and looked Zane square in the eyes. “Did you duel the Seventh Shadow Rider?”

Zane felt a cold chill go down his spine. Being unconscious in the Shadow Realm, he didn’t recall Hellshroud’s voice echoing in his mind. And now that he was awake, he heard small whispers in the far part of his subconscious, but nothing close to what he was used to. Looking where the small table was, he saw his deck still in the duel disk. Clearly Cyber End Dragon was working to keep the demon from entering his mind.

“Yeah… I lost, but I didn’t want to go down without a fight.” Zane shuddered as the memory came back. Thinking about how Amnael said he was doing that to protect him… it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Syrus tried to comfort him, and rubbed his back carefully, unsure where he could touch that wouldn’t cause his brother pain. As it was, Zane had always been particular about physical contact, even more so if he was hurting. It seemed as though Atticus was truly the only one who touched him freely. The thought made Syrus think about how Zane opened up to him about the relationship he has with Atticus. But his brother seemed to almost lean into the touch, and even leaned his head down on the younger’s shoulders. Syrus grinned, glad his brother was trusting him so much.

“I really am proud of you Syrus. I’m sorry for what happened before, I should have apologized sooner. You have grown so much, I only wish I was around to see it,” Zane said quietly, his eyes sliding closed.

Syrus beamed and hugged his brother tight, so much so that Zane let out a choked sound both from shock and minor pain. Immediately Syrus let go and looked at him with worry. Fretting, light touches across his shoulders and arms followed. Clearly Syrus was going to worry over every little thing now.

“What hurts?” Light blue eyes looked over Zane’s body for any obvious answers.

“Like I said Sy, nothing that won’t heal in time. My ribs and back hurt from being slammed into a tree at the end of the duel. But that will just need some time to heal,” Zane tried to assure Syrus. He could see the worry settling in his gaze, and he didn’t want that burden on his younger brother.

“Alright, well just lay back down then Zane. The sun is going to set soon, so you should get some more rest,” Syrus tried to say. Placing his hands on Zane’s shoulders, he tried to push him down. When Zane barely budged, Syrus decided to turn on the puppy dog eyes. Not even Zane could resist them, especially when they were younger. “Please?”

The entire Truesdale family knew Zane’s weakness. Syrus would use his puppy dog eyes to get whatever he wanted. For some reason, it was the only thing that Zane couldn’t resist when it came to his younger brother. And unbeknownst to his family, thankfully, Atticus could turn those eyes on and get whatever he wanted as well.

Sighing, Zane settled down once more and turned slightly on his side. He looked at Syrus one more time before closing his eyes. He felt a cool hand brush his bangs from his forehead and rest there. A small smile on his face, he let himself fall back asleep.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The next day everyone was awake in the morning and all sitting on their beds or in chairs next to the beds. Jaden and Syrus had just started telling what happened during the duel. Everyone sat still, captivated with the animated way Jaden was talking. He had a way of making something as dire as the fate of the world entertaining.

“Then this weird field spell card was played. I can’t remember what it was called…” Jaden trailed off and put a finger to his chin and looked at the ceiling as if it held the answers.

“It was the spell Clear World,” Chumley supplied quietly.

Jaden looked at him and smiled, snapping his fingers. “Yeah that was it Chum, thanks. And it was played and the entire room became white. It was freaky. And then a guy literally appeared out nowhere, he was dressed like how you were as Hell Kaiser, Zane. Complete with the freaky mask and everything.” Jaden looked at the older Truesdale.

Atticus stiffened when he heard that. A person that used the spell card Clear World and was clad in black, with a demonic mask? Yusuke clearly did what he said he was going to do and got involved. Brown eyes slid to where Zane was sitting up, leaning against the wall. He was still hooked up to a heart monitor, because when they got to the infirmary, his heart stopped for a moment. Nurse Fontaine demanded that he stay hooked up to it and let them get a good reading.

“Anyway this Yus-”

“Jaden, can you tell us if you found anything out about Banner?” Atticus interrupted. He didn’t want Yusuke’s full name mentioned. He still vividly remembered Zane’s pain the last time Yusuke was brought up.

Everyone looked at Atticus for a moment. Shocked at the fact he interrupted and changed the subject. But Jaden eventually shrugged and nodded his head sadly. His eyes turned down to look at the book in his lap. Everyone had refrained from commenting on it, Alexis and Zane couldn’t even look at it.

“Yeah we did. The Seventh Shadow Rider, Amnael… he WAS Banner. They were the same person. That was revealed during the duel that he was Amnael. He said that he joined the Shadow Riders to protect the world. And to help ease the pain of the students who were sucked into the shadows,” Jaden explained solemnly. His demeanor changed in a snap.

Zane stiffened and everyone could hear his heart rate spike. Syrus looked at Zane in worry, and Atticus was out of his bed and walking gingerly over to Zane. His entire body was still sore from losing the duel. Sitting down on the bed next to him, he gripped Zane’s hand and gave a gentle squeeze. Rubbing his thumb across the knuckles, he tried to soothe him. Atticus completely forgot about the people in the room, more focused on trying to settle his boyfriend down. Zane, nearing a panic attack, didn’t have the brain capabilities to process the implications of what the others were seeing.

All the eyes were on them, and two jaws dropped, while three others smiled. Alexis simply smiled and nodded her head. Ever since her brother told her the truth, she had been eagerly awaiting the moment she would see a scene like this. Ecstatic was too tame a word for what she felt. The ribbing she would give her brother… it was her job as the younger sister after all. But at the same time, she was glad to see him being himself again.

Syrus nodded his head and smiled with relief. He wanted his brother to be happy. Since Atticus clearly had the magic touch to help lower his heart rate… well Atticus was even more golden than before. Especially since Zane allowed the contact without even a token of protest. Jaden’s smile was a little uncomfortable. He hadn’t been told, but had seen the kiss Zane gave Atticus at the Duel Spirit Day bonfire. So he had put the pieces together. He wasn’t sure truthfully, how they would react to him finding out without them telling him.

Chumley was shocked to say the least. He had been around when Atticus, Zane and Yusuke were the Elite Trio. He never saw this coming however. But truthfully, he couldn’t bring himself to care. Chazz however was flustered, his mouth hanging open in shock. Dark eyes nearly bulging out of his sockets. He just couldn’t believe it, seeing the two top duelists of the school look at one another like that. Granted he didn’t judge that way… but still it wasn’t what he was expecting. When Atticus rested his forehead against Zane’s, Chazz let out a squeak. It was the squeak that broke the scene.

Zane stiffened and a quick flush stained his pale cheeks. He tried moving away, but Atticus simply laughed and put a careful arm around his thin shoulders and pulled him closer. Predictably, Zane buried his head in Atticus’s chest and let out a groan. The brunette duelist let out an even louder laugh and nuzzled the teal hair in front of him.

“Well, cat’s out of the bag now Zane,” Atticus said.

“Shut up asshole,” Zane hissed and pulled back to jab Atticus in the stomach. All it accomplished was to make Atticus laugh harder. “I said shut up!”

“Zane, I hate to break it to you… but Alexis knew. When you were recovered, but didn’t have your memories back, she got me to open up to her. My little sis has a sneaky streak,” Atticus explained. His brown eyes danced with laughter, even though he stopped physically laughing.

Zane looked sheepishly at Alexis. He had met her a couple times when family day came around, but didn’t spend that much time getting to know her. She smiled serenely at Zane and nodded her head. She tried to portray understanding and calm in her gaze. When his shoulders lowered a fraction, from his defensive stance, she knew she succeeded to a point.

“Zane, don’t be too mad at my brother. He was carrying more weight then he should and needed to open up. So I tricked him into telling me, mainly by getting him angry enough he spouted whatever was on his mind. It’s always worked, especially when we were kids,” Alexis explained. “Plus I know our parents adore you for the simple fact you made him focus on school. Atticus has always been smart, but never truly tried. So you forcing him to take school seriously made you an angel.”

“Well, I would be a hypocrite if I said I was mad.” Zane’s gaze went from the Rhodes siblings to his own brother. “I told Syrus when he and I had breakfast one morning.”

Atticus grinned like a lunatic. If Zane had opened up to Syrus about their relationship, then he was becoming more comfortable with it. Deciding to push his luck a little more, Atticus leaned over and kissed his cheek. The flush that had started to fade moments ago, came back with a vengeance. Zane shot Atticus a dark look, which only caused him to smile wider.

“As long as you’re happy, I don’t care. I told you big bro, I’m always on your side.” Syrus spoke so solemnly, you would think it was a decree.

Atticus smiled and leaned over to ruffle Syrus’s hair. The time during this year had him seeing Syrus as a brother. He knew that when he and Zane came out being together, Syrus would be a determining factor for Zane. Even though he struggled to express it, Zane would do anything Syrus asked him. So to hear that Syrus was supportive took a weight off his chest, he wasn’t even aware he had.

“Thanks buddy. To hear you support Zane and me means the world to me.” Atticus smiled, a genuine smile he hadn’t worn in a long time, two years to exact.

Syrus nodded and he eyed Atticus with a smirk. “Well if you are going to essentially be my brother one day, at least I can say you are worth it.”

Atticus and Zane went frozen from shock at Syrus’s teasing. After a moment, Syrus started laughing and everyone else joined in. Even though everyone was still unsure about what to do when it came to Banner’s betrayal, they had one another. As long as they stood strong together, there wasn’t anyone that stood in their way.

“So anything else Jaden?” Alexis asked when the laughter died down.

“Yeah, Banner said there was an even bigger evil to worry about. That this person was the real one responsible for what happened to the students,” Jaden responded. He lifted the book off his lap and the four previously captured duelists all froze. “He gave me this book, and I’m guessing it’ll help whenever we go against this person.”

“I vaguely remember the person who gave Amnael orders,” Zane muttered. All eyes turned to him, and he simply shifted slightly and swung his legs off the edge of the bed.

“Whoa, where do you think you’re going?” Atticus demanded. He grabbed Zane’s arm and held him in place.

“No where, but I’m tired of sitting that way.” Zane shot him a haughty look. “Anyway, this person usually remained in the background when it came to this. I can hear his voice in my memories, but there isn’t an image to go with it. Somehow he managed to avoid being seen at all.”

“Yeah, well whoever he is better watch himself. He has to get through The Chazz if he wants to try anything, like taking students again,” Chazz stated proudly.

Everyone looked at Chazz and shook their heads. His level of bravado was endearing to a degree, but now he was crossing over into arrogance. Atticus looked closely at Chazz, there was a change in him at the moment. One that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. His eyes widened when a thought crossed his mind.

“Were you worried about everyone, Chazz?” Atticus asked.

Chazz went still as a statue and a red flush stained his cheeks. He turned his head away from everyone and shook it. His shoulders rose defensively, still irritated by what the Seventh Shadow Rider told him. Everyone stared at him, trying to figure out if what Atticus said was correct. Jaden decided to lean forward, since he was sitting near Chazz.

“Chazz, you WERE worried! I knew you cared about all of us!” Jaden exclaimed. And Jaden being the infamous hugger he is, threw his arms around Chazz.

Chazz let out an indignant squawk and tried to free himself from Jaden’s hug. “Let go of me! I mean it Slifer Slacker. I don’t care about any of you!”

“Awww, Chazz dude,” Atticus said with a laugh. “It’s alright, we know the truth. Jaden let go of him, if he’s not comfortable don’t push it.”

Jaden laughed and let go of Chazz. He moved back to his chair and let Chazz adjust the collar of his jacket and cross his arms. Keeping his shoulders raised defensively, he refused to look at any of the people in the room.

“Are you really in any position to tell Jaden not to push it?” Zane asked in a sarcastic tone.

Atticus laughed and put his arm around Zane’s shoulders once more. “Probably not, but hey me not caring about that and pushing you is what worked in my favor. You would never have given me a chance otherwise. Even more importantly, you know you love that about me.”

“Keep telling yourself that Bucky,” Zane retorted.

“Well this is a good sign to see you all up and talking,” Sheppard said as he rounded the corner with Dr. Crowler and Nurse Fontaine. Everyone looked at the three adults and Sheppard smiled at all the teenagers in front of him. “I can not express how proud I am of all of you. All of you fought to protect the world and you succeeded. Rest up, and take the next few days off from classes. I will have your instructors give you all make up work. When Nurse Fontaine clears you, you may return to your dorms.”

Sheppard smiled at them and nodded his head toward the nurse, he turned and left. Nurse Fontaine smiled, and began making chart notes on each of the students. She first cleared Chazz and Alexis. Their injuries were fairly minor and just needed rest to recover. Both students stood up and left with a wave of their hands. Atticus was cleared next, told to not do any sharp movements for a time, as his back was still spasming.

While Nurse Fontaine was reading the ECG notes for Zane, Atticus motioned for Jaden to follow him for a moment. The brunette Slifer looked confused for a moment, before standing up from his chair and following the Obelisk into the hall. Atticus led the way down and they came to an alcove. Stopping, Atticus leaned against the wall and looked at Jaden with a serious expression.

“What’s up Atticus?” Jaden asked. His eyes were wide and concerned.

“What you were talking about before I interrupted you… did you really meet Yusuke?” Atticus asked. His gaze never left Jaden, to gauge his reaction.

“Yeah… well I think so anyway. He never introduced himself by that name but both Chumley and Professor Banner said that was who it was. I never met the guy, and I don’t know what he looked like, but they seemed pretty convinced that it was Yusuke,” Jaden tried to explain.

Atticus looked at him for a minute, before reaching in his pocket and pulled out his duel link. He put his passcode in and went to his photos. He had a good photo of the three of them saved from their time their first year as Elites. Finding it, Atticus stared at it, emotions running through him. Yusuke stood on the left, his green hair in disarray, and violet eyes mirroring the smile on his face. Atticus was in the middle, his arms around both of them, one of his old cartoonish grins on his face. Finally Zane was on the right. His signature smirk on his face, and his teal eyes had a rare glint of pleasure. Atticus remembered Sheppard taking the picture of them, when they all first received their white jackets.

Sucking in a breath, he turned the link around to show Jaden the picture. “Did the mystery person look anything like the person on the left in the picture?”

Jaden looked at it, and noticed the green hair was the same. “I think so, he never took off the mask, so I never saw his face. But the green hair was the same. That’s the most I can tell you. Chumley did say that Yusuke used the card Clear World.”

Atticus nodded his head and turned the link back to face him. With one last look at the picture, he put the link in his pocket. He looked at Jaden one more time, and decided he needed to let Jaden know something.

“Jaden, please don’t bring up Yusuke around Zane.”

Jaden’s eyes widened, confusion clear on his face. “Why? Weren’t you guys all best friends? Why can’t we mention him, especially if we can find him?”

“Jaden-”

“Everything alright?” Zane’s voice caused both duelists to jump in the air.

Looking over, they saw both Truesdale brothers looking at the guilty faces of Atticus and Jaden. Zane raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms across his chest. Even with the weight he lost, the pose was still intimidating. Syrus simply looked at them, confusion on his face.

“Yeah, everything’s fine. So what did Nurse Fontaine say about your heart?” Atticus asked. He looked to Syrus, knowing the younger would tell the truth. Zane was more likely to cover it up.

“She said nothing strenuous for a while. I’m allowed to do light exercise, but nothing that raises the heart rate. And she wants to put me in touch with a cardiologist to find out what’s going on.” Zane narrowed his eyes at the two in front of him. “Now what are you two talking about so secretly over here?” His tone told them not to lie to him.

“Jaden was just asking some questions. Anyway does that answer your questions about your history class?” Atticus asked, his gaze imploring Jaden to go along with the farce.

Jaden blinked and nodded his head. “Yeah, it does. It answers what I need to know. Thanks for letting me know.” Jaden turned back to the brothers and smiled. “Well, Sy you up for another duel? I want to make sure we’re prepared.”

Syrus smiled and looked to his brother. Zane met his gaze and nodded his head in Jaden’s direction. “Have fun you two.” Both Slifers left and the two Obelisks were staring at one another. “What are you keeping from me? You didn’t pull Jaden to an alcove to discuss ‘history’.”

Atticus shrugged his shoulders. “Actually we WERE discussing history. He had some questions and I answered. Then I asked him about his duel with Banner, wanting some information. However there wasn’t much he could tell me.”

Zane sighed and rolled his eyes. He turned on his heel and started walking away. Atticus looked at his back for a fraction of a second before taking off and gripping Zane’s arm. The teal haired duelist looked at Atticus questions in his gaze.

“You told Syrus about us. So that means you’re getting more comfortable, so I want to see how far you are willing to go in public. You good with me putting my arm around you? Or holding your hand?” Atticus asked.

Zane looked at him, and Atticus could see the series of emotions running through those eyes. Finally he looked where their arms were entwined. Zane shifted back and pulled his arm from the grip of his boyfriend. Atticus tried to not let disappointment flash through him, but he didn’t have long to be disappointed.

Zane reached out and grabbed his hand. Not meeting his eyes, he laced their fingers and started walking again. Atticus was pretty sure his grin was so wide, it split his face in half. Squeezing his fingers around Zane’s he leaned over and kissed his cheek again. Red stains appeared on his cheeks, but he didn’t care.

“I know you aren’t fully comfortable with this, but thank you.” Zane looked at Atticus confused. “You being willing to go a little out of your comfort zone and hold my hand, telling your brother. Both those things show you want to go forward with this,” Atticus tried to explain.

“Well you make it worth the risk. You never gave up on me, not for those two years I was missing. And not for the months I didn’t have any memories. You stayed by my side and were a pillar. It’s clear that you and Syrus are the best support I have.”

Grinning, Atticus pulled him a little faster. “How about we head to the lighthouse? You aren’t allowed to do anything that raises your heart rate, but looking out over the water is soothing. Plus the lighthouse suits us.”

Zane smiled and nodded his head. “Yeah, it does. You’re the light, the one thing that guided me back to where I am supposed to be. Illuminating the darkness and warming the coldest parts of me. Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, time for fluff! This chapter was pure unrepentant fluff and I loved writing it. Zane is becoming more comfortable with the small group knowing about his relationship. And Atticus of course if loving every moment of Zane doing that. Chazz will be dealing with his issues regarding how much he cares for others, and not wanting to admit it. Poor baby, I love Chazz's character, and I just wish he got more development. Now, Atticus is going to be walking a tight line for a bit, wanting to find Yusuke and wanting to protect Zane from anymore pain. That last line was based off the clip removed from Season 2 English Dub. The part where Atticus remembers talking with Zane at the lighthouse, clearly 4Kids knew that was absolute idolshipping. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this chapter. As always, thoughts, questions and predictions welcome. Stay safe and healthy everyone!


	35. Reasons

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: REASONS

The nice thing about being an early riser was that hardly anyone was up and in the halls of the academy. Zane was currently walking to where the teacher’s offices were located. He was hoping to speak with one of the teachers about something on his mind. His gaze read the name plaques as he walked, finally he came across the one he was looking for. Written in beautiful calligraphy, was Dr. Crowler’s name.

He stopped in front of the door and looked at it for a moment. Taking a breath, he closed his fingers into a fist and gently knocked on the metal door. One thing he learned about Crowler in his first year, the man was almost always up early and in his office. Waiting a few moments, he started to wonder if the man was not in his office for once.

“Zane?” Dr. Crowler’s voice was to the right of him. 

He turned his head and looked at the eccentric instructor. He was dressed in his usual blue jacket and pants with pink frills accenting the collar and wrists of his jacket. His blonde hair was pulled back into a low tail and the silver earrings dangled and glinted in the sunlight. His dark eyes looked at the Obelisk student with concern. The steaming cup in his hand told Zane he had simply left to get some tea.

“Is there something you need?” Dr. Crowler walked over and unlocked his door. Turning around he motioned Zane to follow him inside.

Both teacher and student walked into the immaculate office. Crowler was a neat freak of epic proportions. One whole wall was shelves with a multitude of text books and dueling instructional material. His desk was on the far wall, with the large window behind it. The desk was currently cluttered, a shock to say the least. His computer was on, multiple papers were out along with his grade book. Finally the wall opposite the shelves had his diploma and certifications hanging on the wall.

Crowler walked around and sat in his high back leather chair, motioning for Zane to sit in the visitor’s chair opposite him. Zane did just that, and rubbed his hands over the material of his pants. Truth be told, he was slightly nervous to ask this of Dr. Crowler.

“What can I do for you Zane?” Crowler asked again. He moved the papers out of his way and set his mug on the desk. His full attention was on his favorite student.

“I was hoping to ask you a favor Dr. Crowler…” Zane said quietly.

Crowler’s eyes widened and nodded his head. “Anything I can do for you, I will.”

Taking a breath, Zane decided to take the plunge. “I was wondering, if you ever decide to take a student teacher… if you would consider me.” Zane forced himself to meet Dr. Crowler’s gaze.

Dr. Crowler felt his eyes widen even more. Truth be told, Sheppard had been pushing him to take a student teacher but he didn’t want to just take anyone. He knew he had high expectations and that not every student would be able to handle the pressure. A smile spread across his face, the way Zane only blinked at him showed the teenager could handle it. He wasn’t even phased with the level of what some would call ‘crazy’ Dr. Crowler had.

“Well it must be fate with you coming to speak with me.” Zane cocked his head to the side and looked at Crowler, confusion in his gaze. “Chancellor Sheppard has been asking me to take on a student teacher, but I don’t want to just take anyone. However he has been very insistent which is why I have all these papers on my desk this morning.” Crowler laughed and motioned at the papers he had previously scooted to the side.

Zane cracked a grin and nodded his head. “I wondered why your desk didn’t look as immaculate as it should be.” The comment had the instructor laughing even harder.

“Zane, if you are willing to be saddled with me then I would be honored to have you as my student teacher.” Crowler looked Zane in the eyes. “I will even let Sheppard know that we have discussed it.”

Zane pursed his lips and Crowler could see him contemplating it. He probably hadn’t been expecting Crowler to essentially offer him the position. Crowler may be an unorthodox teacher, but he was no fool. If Zane Truesdale was looking to be a student teacher, he would not let anyone else mentor the young man. He would make sure that the teen got the instruction he deserved.

“If you are willing to allow me to work with you sir, then I would be a fool to pass it up. I enjoyed working with you during the Basic Life Support classes. Truth be told, it was what had me considering a position as an instructor.” Zane looked at him for a moment before his gaze slid to the window where the sun was now fully over the horizon.

“Well, I should say we have come to an agreement. Have you decided to take the final after all?”

“Yes, I spoke with Sheppard and decided to take the chance.” Zane clenched his fingers and fisted the material of his pants. “Actually if you have an extra copy of the guide for it, or even let me know what exactly to look at I would be grateful.”

Crowler smiled brightly again and stood up. He walked over to his wall of books, and stood there for a moment. Zane looked at him and wondered what he was doing. Snapping his fingers, Crowler grabbed a spiral bound book. Turning around he handed it to Zane and walked back to his seat.

“That book is a guide to the final. It doesn’t have the answers, but it's what us instructors use to make the final. Every student is given a variation of that template to study off. So there is yours.” Crowler spread his hands in a gleeful manner. “I look forward to seeing you on the day of the final, and to have you as my assistant next year.”

Zane looked at the study book and back to Crowler and smiled. Standing up, he extended his hand to Crowler and they shook hands. “Thank you, I actually need to speak with the Chancellor about something. So if you don’t mind I will mention to him you agreed to take me as a student teacher.”

“By all means. And if there is anything you need, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. As I said before, I have always been fond of you. There is no way I would allow any other instructor here to be your mentor. You deserve the best and the challenge. Now make sure you study what’s in that book. Any questions, let me know.”

Zane nodded his head and walked out of the office. Clutching the book to his chest, he took a deep breath. He began making his way to Chancellor Sheppard’s office, and might as well get this conversation out of the way next. He shook his head slightly and sighed.

“I just hope I’m making the right decision here,” Zane muttered.

After a few minutes of walking through the empty hallways, he came upon Sheppard’s office. The administration offices were all in the same area, which made things like this easy. He approached the door and stood in front of it, knocking gently.

“Enter,” Sheppard’s booming voice commanded.

Zane walked in and saw Chancellor Sheppard eating his breakfast and his cup of coffee next him. The man looked at his favorite student and smiled. His dark eyes trained on the book held against his chest.

“What can I do for you Truesdale?” He motioned for the teen to sit in the chair opposite him.

Zane sat down and put the book in his lap. “I was coming to let you know I spoke with Dr. Crowler this morning. If I pass the final, he is willing to let me be his student teacher next year.”

Sheppard smiled brightly and laughed. “Truesdale, I’m sure even if you failed the test, he would still have you as his assistant. But I’m glad, this takes care of two things on my mind. I have been trying to get Crowler to take a student teacher for a while now. And with you taking the final in a few weeks and wanting to work here, it puts my mind at ease for you.” Sheppard turned serious, and threaded together his fingers in front of his face. “But I have to ask, Truesdale. Are you doing this because you want to be an instructor? Or are you doing this because you’re afraid to go pro?”

Zane took a breath and shook his head. With their history together, Sheppard has always been able to read him. The older man had become more than a mentor to him those months training in the mountains. He had become a friend… one Zane would turn to for advice on most things.

“It’s a little bit of both sir. I played with the idea of being an instructor of some sort my first year of High School Duel Academy.” Zane saw Sheppard’s eyebrows raise in surprise. “When I worked with Dr. Crowler on the Basic Life Support Class, to get people CPR certified… I enjoyed it. I was able to work well with him and it felt… nice, I suppose is the best way to describe it.”

“I didn’t know that. I knew you helped him with the class, he raved how amazing you were.” Sheppard would be lying if he said he didn’t take pleasure in seeing Zane become flustered. Truesdale was never sure how to act with praise, he often became uncomfortable with it. “So that got you thinking back then did it?”

“Yes, at the time I dismissed the idea because I thought I wanted to go pro. However since my experience in the shadows… it made sense for me.”

“Truesdale, look at me,” Sheppard commanded.

Zane wasn’t aware he averted his gaze the way he did. His teal eyes slid back to look at Sheppard. The two stared at one another for a long moment. Sheppard, no doubt trying to get a read on his thoughts.

“You do what is best for you. If you want to be an instructor and learn under Crowler than fantastic. You want to go pro, don’t let your fear hold you back Zane.” Sheppard stood up and walked around the desk to sit on the ledge to look down at the Obelisk student. “I mean it, you do what’s right for YOU. Two years you had any sense of choice and free will taken from you, so now is when you start taking that back.”

Zane actually felt his eyes start to water. Cursing himself, he swiped a hand over his eyes and his shoulders shook. The feeling of warmth seeped from his deck holster, Cyber End Dragon was trying to comfort him. Sheppard placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and squeezed. Zane looked at the man who was a mentor to him, and had eventually become a friend.

“Let it out. Trying to force it back isn’t doing any good. Now I’m going to ask you this one last time and I won’t bring it up again. What is it YOU want? Do you want to be an instructor’s aid, or do you want to go pro?” Sheppard pitched his voice low, trying to sound soothing.

Zane took a deep breath and closed his eyes. With Cyber End Dragon’s warmth seeping into him, and Sheppard’s calming touch, Zane felt confident when he opened his eyes. He looked at his mentor and smiled slightly.

“I want to start as an instructor. Perhaps one day I will feel the drive to be a professional duelist again… but it’s not in me right now.”

Sheppard smiled and tapped his shoulder. Standing up, he walked back to his chair and brought something up on his computer screen. Zane looked at him for a moment, wondering what he was doing. After a few moments of silence, Sheppard motioned Zane to come around the desk and look at the screen with him.

“Would this type of schedule work for you?” Sheppard inquired, pointing at the screen.

On the screen was a spreadsheet of class times for the next year. Highlighted in blue was Dr. Crowler’s schedule. Zane looked shocked, it was the times he would be following Crowler around. His eyes slid from the screen to Sheppard and he blinked. This was highly unexpected.

“Chancellor, I’m fairly certain Dr. Crowler makes his schedule and I just follow it.”

“Well what good is knowing someone in high places if you don’t use that Truesdale? You didn’t let me pass you automatically with the entrance exam, you took it. You didn’t let me give you a placement, you tested for it. Don’t get me wrong, I admire you for that Truesdale. But just once, I want to be able to do this for you. I know your skills better than anyone here, so I know what you’re capable of.” A wicked glint shone in Sheppard’s dark eyes. “So I ask you again, you alright with morning classes?”

Zane grinned and nodded his head. “Yes, I have always been an early riser. Maybe that’s why I got along so well with Dr. Crowler.”

Sheppard laughed once more and patted Zane’s arm. “That and the fact you never said anything about his fashion sense.” Sheppard couldn’t help but poke fun at his top duel instructor.

Zane pressed his lips into a line, to prevent himself from laughing. “Well… to each their own right?”

“Well, you go start studying for the final. I know you want the best grades possible and Dr. Crowler is going to be expecting the best from you.” Sheppard motioned with his hand and Zane made his way to the door. “Truesdale,” Sheppard called out one more time.

Stopping in front of the door, he turned around and looked at the man. “Yes?”

“I’m glad you’re willing to do what’s right for you. And just know that no matter the situation, I am always here. I am excited to have you here as a staff member next year and eventually to see you in a professional match.” His dark eyes shone with pride.

“Thank you Chancellor, for everything.” With those final words, Zane opened the door and walked out.

Once out in the hallway, he took a breath and felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. This felt like a good path, one he was comfortable with. He wasn’t sure how Atticus would react to it, but he would need to be alright with it. This was what he felt alright with doing, he would still be taking the final… but this allowed him time to heal. And more importantly… he could look into finding out more about his missing time. He could feel blank spots in his memories, and he wanted those answers. If he worked here, it would give him ample time to investigate.

While walking, he felt the flash of pain through his head. Placing a hand on the side of his head, he took a few deep breaths. There was no voice accompanying this pain, and for that he was grateful. Leaning against the wall, he blinked his vision clear and was shocked when suddenly a hand was placed on his shoulder.

“You alright?”

Zane looked to his side and noticed Atticus looking at him, concern clear in his eyes. Zane nodded his head and forced himself up right. He smiled slightly and from the thinning of Atticus’s lips, he realized it looked forced.

“I’m fine, just about to go get some breakfast. You want to come?”

“Sure. What were you doing here so early?” Atticus asked as the two of them turned and made their way to the cafe. Zane looked at him and moved the book from where it was partially hidden. Atticus looked at it and raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“Well, I was meeting with Dr. Crowler this morning and then I spoke with Chancellor Sheppard. I decided to take the exam-”

Zane was cut off when Atticus grabbed him and pulled him in for a bone crushing hug. Zane let out a squeak and instinctively tried to free himself. However that prompted Atticus to simply hug him tighter, refusing to let go. Zane knew he needed to finish speaking and telling Atticus the rest of his decision.

“That’s wonderful Zane! I knew you would make the right decision.” Atticus pulled back and was shocked to see trepidation on Zane’s face. “What? Is something wrong?”

“Well I may have decided to take the exam, Atticus. But I have also decided to become a student teacher here. Dr. Crowler has already told me he would be willing to be my mentor. I want to do this.” Zane put decisiveness in his tone.

Atticus froze for a moment, the implications hit him. “So you’re staying no matter what?” he asked quietly.

“Atticus, you told me you would understand.” Zane took a step back from him.

“I do understand. I do, trust me. Can you just tell me your reasons?” Both teens heard his stomach growl and Atticus laughed, while putting a hand behind his head in embarrassment. Zane sighed and shook his head. “Haha, well how about over breakfast?”

Smiling, Zane nodded his head and started walking again. Atticus trailed beside him and they walked mostly in silence. Zane was trying to think how he would explain this. He felt better than he had in a long time, this decision sat well with him after speaking with Sheppard and Crowler.

They reached the cafe and walked in. Since it was still fairly early, they were the only two in there. Ms. Dorothy was behind the counter and waved to both of them. She had a heart of gold, and cared about every student at the academy. She disappeared below the counter for a moment and then straightened back up.

“What can I get for you two this morning?” she asked cheerfully.

She was dressed in her usual pink shirt with a blue skirt and suspenders. Her glasses rested on a round nose and her brown eyes glinted in the dim light. Her long brown hair was braided and rested on her right shoulder. It was no secret she bent over backwards for the students here, anything they needed she did everything in her power to get.

“A couple of your breakfast rice balls would be awesome, Ms. Dorothy,” Atticus said with a grin.

Zane nodded his head. He remembered her breakfast menu, she was the best cook on the island. It was the main reason Obelisks would come to the Card Cafe, instead of eating in their cafe. The woman smiled and nodded her head, putting on some gloves and walked through a swinging door to the kitchen in the back.

“Coming right up boys!”

When she disappeared, Zane noticed there was the sound of chewing. Glancing around the room, he noticed they were still alone. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to figure out where the sound was coming from. Atticus noticed and nudged his side.

“You ok?”

“Don’t you hear anything?” Zane questioned.

“Not really…” Atticus looked around, trying to figure out what Zane was talking about.

“Shh,” Zane snapped. He held a hand up to stop him from responding.

With both of them silent, the scrapping sounds could be heard. Followed by clear chewing sounds. Atticus drew his brows together, he couldn’t figure out where that was coming from. Both teens were glancing around the room, when a sound caught their attention.

“Was that a meow?” Zane asked.

Atticus smiled and leaned over the counter. Laughing he motioned Zane to look as well. When Zane leaned over, he saw Pharaoh on a small bed, cleaning himself. An empty metal bowl was next to him.

“Leave it to Ms. Dorothy to feed a now orphaned cat,” Atticus laughed and stood up straight again.

Zane continued to stare at the cat. While he didn’t have anything against Pharaoh personally, any reminder of Banner wasn’t a good one. Shaking his head, he straightened as well. It was stupid to associate the cat with what the human did. Pharaoh raised his round head and looked at the two Obelisks standing above him. With his eyes closed, the cat jumped on the counter and snuggled up to the teal haired Obelisk.

The action caused Zane to jerk back on instinct, never having been one for any kind of touch without warning. Atticus was the only one who ever was able to touch him without giving a warning. It didn’t deter the feline however, it climbed on Zane’s shoulders and settled there. Looking to Atticus in distress, Zane silently pleaded with him to help.

Atticus, the ever helpful boyfriend he was, simply doubled over laughing. Ms. Dorothy took that moment to walk out of the kitchen, six steaming rice balls on a silver platter. She took one look at Pharaoh on Zane’s shoulders and smiled, clearly pleased.

“Well look at that, it seems as if Pharaoh likes you. Isn’t that sweet?” she asked. She set the rice balls in front of them and moved, thankfully, to take Pharaoh from Zane’s shoulders. “Well you two get something to eat, if you would like anything else, let me know.” With that, she turned and walked with Pharaoh in her arms back to the kitchen.

Zane simply stared after her, blinking and face blank. He looked to Atticus who grabbed the plate and walked over to the table by the window. Zane shook his head in exasperation and walked over to sit across from Atticus. The brunette had grabbed some napkins on his way and now was grabbing a rice ball and stuffing it in his mouth.

Zane grabbed one as well and took a small bite. His appetite never fully came back, he just ate little bits now. When both of them had eaten one, Atticus looked at him once again with a serious expression.

“Can you just explain your reason to me Zane? I told you, I want you to do what’s best for you and that was the truth. I just want to know why you want to stay here and be an instructor?” Atticus kept his gaze firmly on Zane, wanting to be able to read what flashes of emotion he could.

Zane sighed and placed the study guide on the table next to him. He placed his chin on his palm and looked across the table at his boyfriend. “I just feel as if this will be a good middle ground. I can still do something I want, and let myself get my footing again.”

“Any other reason? I can see you trying to hide something from me. You can’t do that again Zane, no more hiding anything.” Atticus was starting to get upset, Zane was keeping something from him again.

“There are some personal reasons, Atticus. Nothing to get worked up about.” Zane straightened and looked out the window before looking back. “You said you would accept my decision, and I told you what it is. Now you need to honor your end of the deal and ACCEPT it.” Zane’s tone turned cold as ice.

“Hey, guys!” Jaden’s voice broke the mounting tension. Both teens looked to the side and saw Jaden, Syrus, Chumley and Alexis walking up. All of them dressed in their respective uniforms. “Mind if we join you?”

Both forced a smile and nodded their heads. Motioning with their hands, the younger teens all grabbed chairs and sat down. Alexis and Chumley sat on the side with Atticus, while Jaden and Syrus sat next to Zane. Syrus looked at the book on the table and grinned.

“You going to take the exam, big bro?” Syrus asked.

“Yeah, I decided to and went to speak to Dr. Crowler about getting the study guide for it.” Zane smiled at his brother and then raised his gaze to Atticus. Brown eyes looked at him, shuttered, clearly not wanting to reveal any emotions inside. “This is another reason Atticus.”

“Hmm?” Atticus cocked his head to the side and looked between the Truesdale brothers.

“I want to be able to see some of Sy’s growth. This allows for that as well.” Zane thought if he gave something, it would keep Atticus from getting too mad. And stop him from looking for any deeper reasons.

It seemed as if the shutters in his gaze lifted at that, easing the tension around them. “Why didn’t you just say that to begin with?” He smiled easily now and leaned back in his chair, tension dissipating from his form.

“Again personal. But if it keeps you from flying off the handle, then I will share.”

“What’re you talking about Zane?” Jaden asked. His wide eyes looked between the top duelists of the school. “What did we miss?”

“I may have decided to take the final Jaden, but I am looking at being a student teacher next year. Dr. Crowler has already said if I pass the final, he will take me on,” Zane responded, looking at Jaden. “So I get to see how you all grow, that includes you Jaden. I have to say you surprised me during the duel above the volcano.”

Jaden’s eyes widened, they never got to discuss what happened as his time as Hell Kaiser. But clearly Zane remembered enough and he brought it up willingly. A small smile curled the Slifer’s lips and he leaned forward to look at Zane closely.

“Yeah? How did I surprise you?” Jaden asked.

“Your Thunder Giant wasn’t what I was expecting. His special ability to destroy a monster with less attack points than his… well that was ingenious to use.” Zane kept his tone neutral.

“Sweetness! So does that mean I can get a rematch with you before the end of the year?” Jaden asked without thinking.

Zane tensed slightly and forced a smile. “We’ll see, Jaden.”

Atticus narrowed his eyes, and swung his leg out to kick Jaden under the table. The Slifer yelped and looked around the table, to see who kicked him. When no one said or did anything, he shrugged.

“Here you kids go,” Ms. Dorothy said as she appeared out of nowhere and placed another plate of rice balls on the table. Turning around, she smiled. “I’ll get some more for you too Chazz.”

When she walked away, they noticed Chazz standing there. He was dressed in his black uniform and he dragged a chair over. Sitting at the head of the table, he looked at everyone, before slamming his head on the ledge. They all looked at the black haired teen in concern.

“You alright Chazz dude?” Atticus asked.

Lifting his head, Chazz shook it. “No… no I’m not. My head is going to explode from all the makeup work. On top of that I clearly have started to see all of you as friends. I’m not used to this feeling!” he yelled dramatically.

Alexis reached past Chumley and patted Chazz on the shoulder. He looked at her, and if it were not for the fact that he looked actually terrified by the prospect, she would have poked fun. As it was, she simply rubbed his shoulder soothingly and smiled.

“Chazz, it’s alright to see us as friends. It’s how we see you. What your brothers taught you about bonds, was the furthest thing from the truth and you don’t need to keep letting it mess with your head.” Alexis pitched her voice low.

“Chazz, look at me.” Atticus waited until the black haired Slifer did just that. “Remember what I told you that day on the cliff?”

“Yeah,” Chazz mumbled.

“Good, it was the truth. I know your family wasn’t the best, and clearly your brothers took delight in trying to make you seem less than you are. But the truth of the matter is, you are better than them. You stood on your own at the School Duel, and you stood on your own against them. You even defeated them with a handicap that would have had others losing the duel.” Atticus smiled and gave a thumbs up. “You’re going to carve your own path, one that will have your brothers grovelling at your feet.”

They all saw the moment Chazz seemed to accept it. He straightened his spine and raised his head. A small, genuine smile crept on his face, not a condescending smile or smirk. A genuinely happy smile and it had the rest of the group smiling as well.

“Thanks,” he said quietly. Raising his gaze, he saw Ms. Dorothy walking over with his breakfast over and put it down in front of him. With a smile of her own she waved and walked away.

The chiming of the PA caught their attention. Everyone went still to listen for whatever news was about to be revealed. When it was, they all went deathly white and felt ice in their veins.

“Attention, I need all the Key Keepers to report to my office. The keys have been stolen!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this time off before my new job is nice, because now I can do some writing. For this chapter I actually had two versions planned in my notes. This one and one where Zane graduates with Atticus and goes on to be his manager. But this one seemed to fit better with what I have in store later. So what do you think of Zane becoming Crowler's student teacher? I personally think it will work, even in the anime Crowler had a soft spot for Zane and it's more pronounced in my story. With Atticus, I have a fork in the road with him also. Does he go on to do something in the real world? Or should I have him stick around and possibly have the two of them investigate together? What do you all think? Now who could have stolen the keys? Clearly different from canon, because Chazz isn't suddenly so lovesick he wants Alexis's attention. That bothered me. Anyway thoughts, predictions and comments welcome. Stay safe and healthy everyone!


	36. Man Behind the Curtain

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN

The group of seven all stared at one another in absolute horror. Faces white as ghosts and afraid to breathe. Zane was the first to react and jumped up, Atticus next. The two oldest duelists started running toward Sheppard’s office. The action was enough to have the other five jumping up and running behind them.

Minutes later, they all ran into Sheppard’s office. Sheppard and Dr. Crowler were in the office, looking at the empty box on the desk. Faces pale and shaken. The thundering sounds of multiple pairs of feet had both older men raising their heads in concern. Atticus and Zane stopped in front of the desk and looked down in disbelief that the box was empty. The others appeared moments after and were just as shaken to see the empty case.

Bastion ran in not far behind the others. He had been in his dorm when the announcement had been made. Flying out of his room, running past other Ra students, he sprinted to the academic building. When he reached the offices, he tore down the hallway. Seeing his fellow Key Keepers entering the office, he followed.

Syrus and Alexis stood next to their respective siblings. Chazz stopped next to Alexis and Bastion was next to him. Jaden stood next to Syrus and Chumley on his other side. All their faces mirrored the shock and horror of the older men in front of them. The empty box before them was a blow, especially after how they all started to relax for the first time in months.

“What happened? When I was in here earlier, you didn’t say anything,” Zane said in between lungfuls of air.

“I didn’t realize they were missing when we spoke this morning, Truesdale,” Sheppard responded. His face was ashen, the fact the keys were missing… the consequences were too dire to think about.

“Wait, you said they were stolen… why do you think that?” Chazz spat out in between gasping for lungfuls of air.

Sheppard stood straight and typed something into his computer. A section of the wall moved back and a monitor moved out. On the screen was security footage from the night before. The time stamp said it was at 10:37 last night.

On the screen they saw Chancellor Sheppard packing up his briefcase, sliding reports in it and looking around. His eyes were widened and the video showed him looking around in confusion. After a few moments, Sheppard reached in his desk and pulled out the box that contained the Spirit Keys. Nodding his head in confirmation, he closed it once more.

Walking a few feet away, he placed the box in a hidden slot in the wall. Sliding it closed, the wall once again appeared to be seamless and no evidence of there being a hidden compartment. Sheppard walked back to his desk, grabbing his briefcase he walked to the door. With one last look around the room, he turned the lights off and walked out of the office. 

There were a few heartbeats before the door on the side of the room opened and in walked someone, you couldn’t see who it was. The only obvious thing was the figure looked male and he wore an Obelisk Blue uniform and had blonde hair. The mystery man stood there for a moment, looking around the room, before making his way over the wall where the keys were hidden. Opening the compartment, he pulled out the box and opened it. Reaching a hand in, he grabbed all seven keys and stuffed them in his pocket before putting it back in its hiding place and closing it. Rolling his shoulders the mystery person walked out of the office, keys securely hidden in his pocket.

The screen went blank and everyone was staring. Atticus was looking at it with narrowed eyes, he felt as if he recognized this person. Moving closer to the screen, he turned back to Sheppard and Crowler.

“Could you replay the part when he first comes out? I feel like I recognize who this is,” Atticus explained.

Sheppard nodded his head and rewound the footage to where Atticus was talking about. Freezing it, everyone held their breath while Atticus looked at the blurry image. Placing a hand on his head, he shook his head in exasperation. He was hoping he was wrong, but his gut told him he wasn’t. Turning his head, he looked where the others were standing.

“Hey Zane, come here and tell me if this is who I think it is,” Atticus said. He waved his hand to Zane, urging him to come up.

Zane walked up and looked at the screen. The blonde hair was what really stood out to both Obelisk students. His teal eyes narrowed first and then widened, surely the pride of that jackass wouldn’t have him doing something so stupid.

“Zane? You thinking what I am?” Atticus whispered. The look on Zane’s face was the confirmation he needed, but he wanted to hear it verbalized.

He looked at the brunette and nodded his head. “Yeah, but he wouldn’t be this stupid would he?”

“You two know who that is?” Dr. Crowler exclaimed. He leaned forward and looked intensely at the two upperclassmen.

With a shared look between them, they nodded their heads. “Chancellor, you may want to call Martin Collins in. We both think that’s who this is,” Atticus said solemnly. Glancing back at the screen he shook his head in exasperation. “I just didn’t think his pride would lead him to do this.”

Both administrators looked to Zane for confirmation, and they received it in the form of a head nod. Sheppard reached over to his control panel hooking to the school’s sound system. Picking up the microphone, he switched it on. 

“Attention students, I need Martin Collins to report to my office. IMMEDIATELY.” Sheppard’s tone was arctic cold, and everyone felt the temperature drop significantly in the room.

Switching it off, he met the eyes of everyone here. He felt sick to his stomach they were still involved in this. Even with the final threat looming over them, his worry was for the ones in front of him. The fact that a student broke into his office and stole the keys that held the fate of the world, it made him sick to think about. He watched all of them look to one another in concern. He could see the crushing weight coming back on all of their shoulders, as it did the first time.

Zane brought the book his hands closer to his chest, his eyes slightly wide. He saw Atticus move closer and put his arm around Zane’s shoulders in comfort. Zane turned his head and looked in Atticus’s eyes. This was causing him to worry, it was clear in his body language. Chazz, Bastion and Alexis all shared concerned looks. Alexis rubbed Chazz’s arm and smiled at both of them. Clearly trying to keep them calm. Finally the trio of Slifers were all staring at one another, the worry everyone else had in their gazes reflected in theirs as well.

The silence in the room was stifling, no one wanted to speak their concerns aloud. Minutes later, the door opened and in walked an unknown Obelisk. He wore the signature blue jacket and gray pants. His black hair was cut short and his dark eyes were nervous. When the student walked in his eyes met those of the Elite Duo and then looked to Chancellor Sheppard and Dr. Crowler.

“I’m sorry to say this, but Martin left the dorm at sunrise this morning. Since he isn’t a morning person, I asked him where he was going and he said he was going to get in an early duel. And he returned after lights out last night,” the Obelisk student responded.

Everyone when that was said, froze once again. Zane could feel his heart beating erratically and he struggled to keep his breathing normal. Atticus kept a tight arm around Zane and narrowed his eyes at the other Obelisk student. In fact all of the eyes were glaring at the unaware student, as if he were to blame for what his roommate did.

“You didn’t report him?” Dr. Crowler demanded.

“Well… even though it wasn’t the first time he never did something stupid. I figured he was just clearing his head at night. Everyone does it occasionally and with finals coming up he’s been really stressed.” His eyes slid to where Zane and Atticus stood. “He really wanted to end the year on top, but didn’t think he could make it with BOTH of them being back now.”

“You’re trying to blame two other students for what your roommate did?” Sheppard demanded.

Everyone narrowed their eyes at him, only this time it was directed at the unsuspecting student. Syrus felt his face flush in anger, Jaden looked at him in concern. Placing a restraining hand on the younger Truesdale, he looked at the Obelisk.

“Where would he go to duel? He stole something that could have really bad things happening. Tell us where he would be, please.” Jaden implored.

The brown haired Obelisk sighed and shook his head. “I would tell you if I could. But I don’t know.” He looked at Atticus and Zane again. “At least when you were studying abroad Zane, he thought he had a chance at taking the title from Atticus. But with both of you back, he has no chance of being top.”

“Stop trying to put the blame on Zane and me. He could have applied himself more and shown some drive for it. Instead he’s never tried. Zane coming back has no bearing on how hard he could have worked,” Atticus spat out. His eyes blazed, his fury burning bright as he took a step forward menacingly. Zane’s hand snapped out and gripped Atticus around the arm.

“Young man, you will remain here and try to think of where Collins could have gone. The rest of you, go out and search the island. We need to find him and those keys,” Sheppard demanded. His angry gaze still on the roommate.

Everyone nodded their heads and made their way out of the office. Meeting in the hallway they all stood in a circle looking at one another. This was worse for all of them than when they were hunting the last Shadow Rider.

“I say we split into groups of two. We can all stay in contact through our duel links,” Atticus threw out the suggestion.

“I agree, it's the best way to search the island and not be alone at any time,” Bastion seconded the idea.

“Alright, so who is everyone pairing with?” Alexis asked.

“Zane and I will take the east side of the island,” Atticus said without thinking twice about it. Knowing eyes and smiles were the only responses that garnered.

“Chazz and I will search the north side of the island,” Alexis said. She met Chazz’s eyes for confirmation, and he nodded his head.

“Sy and I can take the south side by the Slifer Dorm,” Jaden pitched it, looking at his short friend. Syrus nodded his head on a smile.

Bastion looked to Chumley. “I suppose we will search the west side, Chumley?” Chumley nodded his head and they pulled out duel links and split up.

Atticus and Zane were walking around the east side of the island. They had stopped by the Obelisk dorm to drop off Zane’s book, and let Atticus grab his duel disk. Atticus was determined to keep a closer eye on Zane this time to prevent him from needing to duel again. Now they were walking along the beach looking for Collins.

“What the hell possessed him to think this was a good idea?” Atticus muttered under his breath.

“I don’t know. I barely remember him… what I remember of him he never managed to beat us,” Zane responded. He rubbed the back of his head, trying to ease the ache settling there.

“Yeah, he never was able to beat either of us in a duel, nor was he able to score higher than us. After you disappeared, he tried to become buddy-buddy with me. He would come up to me, especially after the Duel Legalities class. I never liked him to begin with, and that just accented it.” Atticus looked across the beach, trying to see anything.

A loud explosion erupted ahead of them, followed by a blood curdling scream. Atticus and Zane looked at one another in panic and took off running in the direction they heard it. Along the way, they collided with Alexis and Chazz. The four students looked to one another and when another scream rang out, they ran toward the sound.

Minutes later they came into a clearing in the forest. In the center of the circle of trees were what they assumed were two people. The other four of their search party came up to them shortly after, running from the directions they all were searching. As they stood mere feet away they saw Martin Collins kneeling on the ground. His Obelisk coat covered in dirt and his hair a mess.

Looking at Martin’s opponent, everyone was shocked. You couldn’t quite make out who it was because the person had their body encased in some sort of test tube looking contraption. The tube was filled with liquid. The rest of the strange looking machine looked as if it were supposed to be an outer space vehicle. Two thin robot appendages were out in front of the tube. A duel disk attached to the left one. Atticus then looked to where the other Obelisk student was on the ground.

“Collins!” Atticus called out. Martin Collins turned around and looked at them with his clouded green eyes.

“Sorry, he told me if I got these keys he would help me get top placement. And sponsors for the professional leagues.” He collapsed then and everyone saw a glow coming from his pocket. His green eyes were closed with exhaustion, it was clear he was unconscious.

Almost immediately the glowing in his pocket ceased and the ground under their feet began to rumble. The volcano shook, and they all wondered if it was about to erupt. Seven beams of light shot from the ground at once and seven pointed pillars rose from the ground seconds after. The keys ripped from the coat of the unconscious Obelisk and floated toward the pillars. No one could tear their eyes from the sight.

“They’re being absorbed into the pillars,” Zane said quietly.

“So not liscious,” Chumley muttered. He was actually terrified, this was what all his friends were trying to prevent.

“They’re opening all the Spirit Gates!” Jaden exclaimed in realization.

“What did that asshole do?” Atticus spat out. His brown eyes went to the unsuspecting focus of his wrath.

Suddenly all the pillars were bathed in a golden glow, similar to that of the keys. They seemed to glow brighter and brighter before it was dimmed all of a sudden. The ground shook once more and there was the sound of something opening. Looking over they all saw a strange platform being raised from the ground. Floating above the small platform, was a ball of light and inside the ball of light were three Duel Monster cards.

“He lost the duel, and had possession of the Spirit Keys while he did. Now that all the Spirit Gates have been unlocked, the Sacred Beasts will be mine,” a deep voice announced.

The mystery person’s machine made its way to the spot where the cards were. Everyone stood in frozen horror. Reaching out and grasping the cards, the person let out a diabolic laugh that sent shivers down the spine of a particular student.

Zane went even paler than his white jacket and took a step back. He knew that voice, it ranked up there with Amnael’s distorted voice in terms of nightmarish quality. Atticus noticed Zane taking the step back and wrapped an arm around Zane’s waist, pulling him close.

“Zane, are you alright?” Atticus whispered.

Syrus looked at his brother in concern. Zane looked sick, sweat running down his face and his eyes too wide. Walking over, he placed himself in front of his older brother. Determination etched into every line on his face.

“I know that voice…” Zane said quietly. He felt his knees buckle and he collapsed to the ground. Atticus knelt beside him, his hands on Zane's shoulders for comfort and support.

“It is surprising to see you once again… Hell Kaiser,” the voice responded back.

“You were the one pulling the strings the entire time. I remember you speaking with Amnael… or Banner or whatever the hell you want to call him. You told him to use dark magic to take control of my mind and erase any memories I have of family and friends,” Zane snapped out. Fury coursing through his veins, giving him the strength to stand again.

A laugh preceded the response. “Yes, I am the one who had Amnael abduct the students and use them for the experiments. You were the only one to stand above and keep going. When all others fell and succumbed to darkness, you kept fighting. That’s why it was so wonderful when you used the mask to fight against Camula. That allowed Hellshroud to take control. With its ruthlessness and your strategic mind and body, I had high hopes for you.” Taking a pause to look at the students in front of him. He went to speak again, when he was interrupted.

“Children, is everyone alright?” Sheppard’s voice called out in the distance.

Everyone looked over to see Chancellor Sheppard and Dr. Crowler sprinting over. Both faces were red with the exertion and they stopped in next to the group of students and looked over at their last enemy.

“We’re fine Chancellor, but Martin lost and now all the gates are open,” Bastion responded. He ran his nervous hands over his Ra Yellow jacket.

Sheppard and Crowler looked petrified and then their gazes went to the person responsible for beating Martin Collins and opening the gates. Both narrowed their gazes and took defensive stances next to the students.

“And who might you be?” Dr. Crowler spat out.

“I am not surprised you don’t recognize me. Disease has ravaged my body,” the person responded.

Sheppard gasped and his eyes widened. He knew who this was, and it left a foreboding feeling in his gut. “Wait a moment, I know that man.”

Everyone looked to Sheppard in shock. Zane took an involuntary step back from where he stood next to Sheppard. His eyes wide and a hint of betrayal in them. Atticus pulled Zane and pushed him behind his body, keeping himself in between Zane and everyone else.

“You know who the hell this is?! You know he’s responsible for what Zane went through? He just admitted to having Banner kidnap all those students!” Atticus snapped out. If Sheppard knew anything about it, he would keep Zane as far away from the man as possible.

“I know who he is because… because he’s the Superintendent of the Duel Academy,” Sheppard responded looking to where Atticus kept Zane behind him. “I would never allow it to happen had I heard of his plan.” His eyes went back to where the person in the test tube was keeping quiet. “His name is Kagemaru.”

“I’m so glad you recognized me Sheppard,” Kagemaru said with a cackle.

“Superintendent?” Jaden asked in confusion. He looked between the two men, trying to find answers.

“Yes, I worked with Seto Kaiba to build this school. And now I have returned to collect my Sacred Beast Cards,” Kagemaru clarified.

“You just wait a second there, test tube,” Jaden said as he jumped into the caved in section of earth. He stood opposite Kagemaru and raised a fist. “You want them? You’re going to have to duel for them”

“That’s right and you have all of us to get through,” Chazz supplied. He moved to jump down as well, standing side by side with Jaden.

“Foolish children, I am Kagemaru. Ultimate Master of the Shadows and Shadow Games. I was the one who first sealed the cards here. It was I who gave Sheppard the Spirit Keys, knowing I would be back for them.”

Everyone looked to Sheppard in shock. Zane felt some of the betrayal lessen, Sheppard hadn’t handed them all over to the Shadows… but he knew this could happen. He wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about this. 

Dr. Crowler looked to the Chancellor and cringed. “Sheppard?” he questioned.

Sheppard narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth in a menacing look. “You were responsible for what all those missing students went through? What is wrong with you?”

“I simply did what I needed. But the keys alone are worthless, you need something special to unlock the gates,” Kagemaru went on with his explanation. Barely acknowledging Sheppard’s demand. “I needed all the best dueling talent gathered in one place. Year after year, I was disappointed. However this year I was delighted, you all gave the dueling energy needed to unlock the gates.”

His gaze went to where Zane was still behind Atticus. “I sent my Shadow Riders to test you, just to make sure. Imagine my surprise when you all exceeded my expectations. I was shocked to learn that Hell Kaiser had lost, so I sent Amnael to keep him from revealing anything.”

Syrus had heard enough, pure hatred for this man flowing through him. He stepped forward and clenched his tiny hands into fists. “Cute story, but why all the tricks? Were you too weak to get the keys yourself?!” he demanded.

Chumley put a restraining hand on Syrus’s shoulder. “Syrus… let’s not make the scary man mad.”

“No, I agree!” Atticus yelled out. He stepped forward, still doing his best to keep Zane behind him. “Why did you need the tricks? And on top of that, you used ANOTHER student. You promised him something he wanted and beat him to unlock the gates. Why?” He narrowed his eyes and slashed his arm down. “Listen up, you’re not getting away with this, not as long as I’m here! You want those Sacred Beast cards? Well guess what, you have duel ME for them!”

“No way, this is my duel!” Chazz exclaimed, clenching a fist in front of his face. “I’m going to Chazz you up big time!”

Zane stared at them, and felt his own resolve strengthen. Taking a breath he took a step around Atticus and stood next to him, eyes narrowed at the person mainly responsible for what he endured. “Not a chance, he’s mine. He and I have a score to settle, turning me into Hell Kaiser isn’t something I’m willing to forgive or forget.”

Atticus looked at Zane in complete shock. He was partially surprised, he knew Zane wasn’t comfortable with dueling yet. The fear that the darkness in the mask would take him over weighed on his mind. Yet here he was, ready to duel the man responsible for what he went through. Part of him felt pride, but the other part of him wanted to cuff Zane upside the head for his foolishness.

“I think not,” Kagemaru responded. Everyone looked at him in confusion. “I chose my opponent as Jaden Yuki.”

Jaden pointed a finger at his face with wide eyes. “Uh, excuse me what?”

“You have a strong dueling spirit, even Amnael commented on it. I want my first duel with my Sacred Beasts to be a feast for them. They will devour your dueling energy as I crush you,” Kagemaru explained with a laugh.

Suddenly blue lightning arched around the pillars, creating a barrier to prevent anyone from getting in or leaving. It made the students there think of when Titan played the Dark Arena field spell. It gave off the same dark energy and had them all stepping closer to one another for protection.

“Should you refuse me, Jaden Yuki… I will see to it that all on this island sink to the bottom of the ocean. Or perhaps I will drag you all to the shadows,” Kagemaru continued.

Chazz muttered under his breath and turned around to climb his way out. He didn’t see the reason to stay next to Jaden when he was dueling. As he lifted himself up however, something hard connected with his face. The force of it knocked him back and he landed on his back with a loud thud.

“Sorry Chazz dude!” Atticus called out.

As Chazz looked from where he was lying, he could see Jaden sliding on a duel disk with a sheepish look on his face. He walked over and knelt down, helping Chazz flip over and to his feet. Brushing him off, he looked carefully.

“You alright?” Jaden asked.

“Feeling dandy. You better not lose Slacker! I just got my room looking cool,” Chazz snapped out. 

He shook off Jaden’s gentle hands and stalked back to the ledge. Looking up, he noticed both Atticus and Alexis were there to help him out. Gripping both their hands, he allowed them to pull him out. Turning back around, he stood next to Syrus and Bastion to watch Jaden duel.

With a nod in the direction of his friends, he turned back to Kagemaru. “I hope you brought your A-Game, Kagemaru!” As Jaden pulled out his deck, he noticed he still had the card from the tome he found. Making a snap decision, he put it in his deck and shuffled.

The platform lowered into the ground once more, and both duelists faced one another. Determination on the faces clear. This was the final battle for the world, and everything was riding on Jaden’s shoulders. They just hoped he was up the challenge.

Get your game on Kagemaru!” Jaden exclaimed as the duel kicked off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is the lead up to the duel next chapter. There is a reason I am keeping Jaden as the one to duel here. It plays a part in something that will be revealed soon. Any guesses on what it is? So what do you think of the Obelisk I mentioned in a couple times in earlier chapters being the thief? He was the one who Atticus was annoyed with after the Duel Legalities class. Someone who couldn't handle being lower than first and wanted to blame everyone but himself. And I mean come on, does Sheppard not have security cameras in canon? The only way they knew who stole them in the anime was because Chazz left a letter? I find that totally unrealistic. As always thoughts and predictions welcome. Stay safe and healthy everyone!


	37. The Final Boss

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: THE FINAL BOSS

Everyone moved from where they were standing behind Jaden to the side of the caved in arena. Zane looked at Jaden with concern, while he saw first hand that Jaden had skill, this duel had the literal fate of the world riding on it. He hoped Jaden wouldn’t become too overconfident here.

“Jaden, if you lose… he’ll take over the world,” Syrus called out as he came to a stop next to Zane.

“And, that’s like really bad,” Chumley supplied as he stopped next to Syrus.

Bastion stood at the end of the line on the other side of Chumley. On Zane’s other side was Atticus, doing his best to keep Zane away from Sheppard for the moment. Alexis stood next to her brother and Chazz on her other side. Finally Dr. Crowler and Chancellor Sheppard were on the far side of the line. All eyes were trained where the Slifer was the last line of defense.

Jaden smiled, unconcerned about it all. “Well then, time to get my game on!” Jaden turned his glare to Kagemaru.

“Make your move, Key Keeper,” Kagemaru said.

“Alrighty, let’s go.” Jaden drew a card and looked at his hand. “I summon Burstinatrix in defense mode.” The female elemental hero appeared in her red jumpsuit and kneeled in front of Jaden, ready to defend her master. “I lay one card facedown. Now let’s see if those Beast Cards are all that!”

Kagemaru let out a dark chuckle that sent cold chills down Zane’s spine. Forcing himself to not show it, he kept himself rigid. Eyes narrowed on the field, he didn’t like the sound of that laugh. It was the equivalent of a predator playing with its prey.

“Yes, let’s” Kagemaru’s robot appendage drew a card and the man inside the tank looked at his hand. “I shall begin by placing three trap cards facedown.”

Chazz raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Three trap cards? I think this guy’s circuits are crossed.”

“What do you mean?” Syrus asked, looking at Chazz.

“What he means Syrus, is when you play a facedown card, you don’t have to specify whether it’s a spell card or trap card,” Zane explained to his brother, meeting his gaze. He looked at Syrus next to him and made sure he understood.

“Oh yeah, right. I knew that,” Syrus said and looked away in embarrassment. He really did know that, so he wasn’t sure why he asked. Force of habit if he had to guess.

“True, unless you happen to be summoning a Sacred Beast,” Kagemaru supplied.

“Oh cool. Ya know, I always wanted to see one up close and personal,” Jaden said. He sounded completely unfazed by the revelation.

Kagemaru laughed again. “You should be more careful of what you wish for. I sacrifice my three trap cards to summon the first Sacred Beast.” The three trap cards flipped up and disappeared. “I summon Uria: Lord of Searing Flames.”

The sky above them all went dark, as if a disastrous storm was moving in. Flames that had the appearance of lava shot up from the ground near a Spirit Gate pillar. Everyone on the sidelines took a step back, not liking where this was going. Wind whipped around them, nearly blowing Syrus away. Zane snapped a hand out and gripped his brother tightly to his side.

“What’s happening?” Alexis called out over the wind.

“Something very bad!” Syrus supplied the obvious answer.

Finally the lava flames took on a more defined shape of a dragon. When the flames scattered a fearsome dragon roared to the sky. Shock waves rippled across the land, causing all the spectators to cover their ears. Everyone looked and had similar thoughts about the large, red dragon. After a moment, the wind and shock waves died down. Zane released Syrus from his side and the younger Truesdale nodded his head thankfully.

“Hey, that looks like Slifer the Sky Dragon. Only with wings,” Chumley called out what they were all thinking. His dark eyes were wide with fear.

Even Jaden took an instinctive step back. “Uh, on second thought. Maybe I don’t need to see one up close.”

“Boss, help me boss,” an unknown, high pitched voice called out. Zane heard it and looked discretely around. His gaze landed on Chazz who pulled out his deck and was looking at it. “The-the thing… it’s doing something to us.”

“Suck it up, you’re fine,” Chazz snapped out. He raised his gaze back to the duel.

Zane on the other hand wasn’t so sure. If Chazz had a duel spirit he could see and even possibly hear… he closed his eyes and focused. He could still feel Cyber End Dragon’s warmth, but it almost felt dimmer. Less encompassing, as if there were holes in the shield it put around him. Something was really wrong here.

“Now I activate its special ability; Trap Destruction.” Uria let out another roar and Jaden’s facedown card flipped up and was destroyed. “All traps are useless against my Sacred Beast and are destroyed. And if you were curious as to Uria’s attack points… well they are equal to the number of trap cards in my graveyard, multiplied by 1000. And at last count, I had three. Making his attack points 3000. Now then Uria, reduce Burstinatrix to ash, Hyper Blaze!”

A bright flame blast shot from the dragon’s mouth and hit Burstinatrix. The female monster let out a yell of pain before she was destroyed. Jaden brought an arm up to his face in defense of the blast. He let out a yell of his own and tried to stand his ground. When Kagemaru laughed it had the Slifer snapping his spine straight.

“Your turn, Jaden,” Kagemaru said.

“Turn for what? That monster’s too powerful… what can Jaden even do here?” Zane asked. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked on with narrowed eyes.

“Oh man,” Syrus muttered. His light blue eyes wide with concern for his best friend.

Jaden was huffing, trying to catch his breath. That really threw him for a loop, he wasn’t expecting a Sacred Beast so soon. He narrowed his brown eyes at his opponent and the Sacred Beast behind him, trying to think of any kind of plan. He clenched his fist, and took a calming breath.

“This is it! I’ve waited my whole life to duel the best, it’s why I came here in the first place,” Jaden thought as a sweatdrop rolled down his cheek. A smile crossed his face. “And now, I’ve got the best. To top it off, I’m staring him down in a duel for the fate of the world. What more could anyone ask for?”

Everyone saw the smile and wondered if Jaden finally lost it. Concerned gazes looked at their friend, but they chose to remain silent. Instead they looked on with a mixture of concern and disbelief at what they were witnessing.

“Let’s do this!” Jaden exclaimed as he drew another card. “I summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman.” Jaden’s aquatic hero rose up and brandished his blaster. “And when I call him out all alone, I get to draw two more cards. Now let’s see what kind of cards we got.”

“It’s not going to make a difference dude,” Atticus said. He wanted to have faith in Jaden, but this was proving to be absolutely futile.

“What’s Jaden thinking? With Bubbleman in attack mode, he doesn’t stand a chance against that monster. He’s got no defense now,” Chazz spat out annoyed. But the concern in his dark gaze was telling.

“Oh dear me, I can’t watch this,” Dr. Crowler muttered. The teacher was sweating bullets and dabbing his face with a crisp, white handkerchief.

“Why not? This just might be the last thing we all see,” Zane said morbidly. He was feeling as useless as he did in the shadows.

Atticus looked at him in concern and touched his arm. When Zane met his gaze, and uncrossed his arms from his chest, Atticus slid his hand down and gripped Zane’s hand tight. The way his boyfriend was speaking, sent up red flags for him.

“Come on!” Syrus exclaimed and everyone looked at him. He was staring at Jaden with hope. “Don’t give up on him yet. Jaden hasn’t let us down before!”

Jaden was looking at his cards and nodded his head at them. He had drawn Polymerization and Skyscraper. Looking at the rest of his hand, he saw he had Elemental Hero Avian, Elemental Hero Sparkman and Transcendent Wings as well as Bubble Blaster.

“All right, next I’ll play Polymerization, fusing my Elemental Hero Bubbleman on the field with my Elemental Heroes Avian and Sparkman in my hand. This allows me to summon Elemental Hero Tempest.” The winged hero appeared in front of Jaden, pointing it’s blaster at the opponent.

Kagemaru simply laughed at the attempt. “He still doesn’t have enough attack points to destroy Uria. All that for nothing.”

“Not right now, but with my next card I’ll even the playing field.” Jaden paused and thought for a moment. “Ya know, maybe even isn’t exactly right. Check out my field spell; Skyscraper!” Buildings shot up around them and the forest was transformed into the middle of a well lit city. “Thanks to this, my hero gets a wing up on you. See if he has less attack points, then during battle, he gains 1000 extra attack points! Tempest, show ‘em who’s boss!”

Tempest did just that, with his attack points lifted form 2800 to 3800, he jumped into the air. Training his blaster at Uria, the Elemental Hero gathered energy and blasted. The blue ball of energy connected and destroyed the dragon in a blast. Kagemaru let out a shocked yell and backed up.

“That’s a hit!” Jaden exclaimed. Eyes shining brightly.

“I told you he would do it!” Syrus cheered. He and Chumley grabbed each other in a hug and jumped for joy.

“Impressive I see I made the correct choice in selecting you as my opponent,” Kagemaru said. He narrowed his eyes. “Your dueling spirit will serve me well… as I rip it from your body and use it to acquire the power of my Sacred Beast Cards.”

Jaden backed up, more than a little disturbed about what he was talking about. “I kinda like my dueling spirit, right where it is thank you. Anyway I throw down a facedown and end my turn. Let’s see how you handle it.”

“And let’s see how you handle this.” He drew a card and put it with the others. “I activate Uria’s special ability, I merely need to send a trap card to the graveyard and then…” he trailed off with a dark laugh.

Flames once again shot up in the distance. The wind picked up again and Syrus this time clung to Zane’s side in an effort to not be blown away. Wrapping a tight arm around his younger brother once more, Zane grit his teeth. Each time that damn beast was summoned he felt sick. The protective barrier Cyber End had been putting around his mind, he now knew it was weakening. He was again starting to hear the voice again. Granted he heard it before, but this was worse. Cyber End Dragon couldn’t keep the protection around him.

“Shit, not good,” Zane muttered. No one seemed to realize he was speaking about himself, and not Jaden this time.

“Don’t tell me,” Chazz said as he protected his face from the violent wind.

“It can’t be,” Bastion whispered as he struggled to hold his ground.

Sure enough, Uria burst from the flames once more and let out an ear piercing roar. Everyone placed their hands over their ears and cringed. Once it died down, everyone opened their eyes and uncovered their ears.

“As lord of Searing Flames, one of his special abilities is to be resurrected when I discard one trap card to the graveyard,” Kagemaru explained.

“And what’s worse, now that there’s another trap card in the graveyard, that beast gets ANOTHER 1000 attack points,” Zane snapped out.

“And if Jaden doesn’t do something to get rid of it, he’ll be in the graveyard next,” Alexis said quickly. Her gold eyes looked at Jaden with panic.

“Now, say goodbye to your feathered friend, Jaden. Uria, destroy Tempest,” Kagemaru commanded. Uria did as commanded and blasted Tempest with a blast of fire.

Once Tempest was destroyed, Jaden took 200 points of damage. He cringed and put his hand up to cover his face. He swore it was similar to when he dueled Zane over the volcano. He felt the burn down to his soul, and man was it painful. But at least now, he had a contingency plan.

“Don’t think so test tubey!” Jaden exclaimed and revealed his facedown as Transcendent Wings. “By sending a card to the graveyard, Tempest CAN’T be destroyed in battle. See I got tricks too. Now let’s follow up that act with our next performer.” Jaden drew a card and smiled. “Oh yeah, one of my faves, Pot of Greed.” Jaden drew his two cards and felt delight go through him. “Two cards for me and a whole lot of pain for you. Cause I play the spell card Heated Heart, this gives Tempest 500 extra attack points. And that’s just enough power to take out Uria one more time. So get to it Tempest!”

The hero did just that, launching to destroy the red dragon again. With 4300 attack points, it was just enough to take him down. The blue energy blast connected with Uria and destroyed it once more. Kagemaru let another pain filled grunt.

“Go ahead and waste your turn, Jaden. As long as I have trap cards in my deck, I will always have a way to bring Uria back,” Kagemaru explained gleefully. Discarding a trap card once more the vicious cycle continued. Once more the cursed red dragon rose from the flames and roared to the sky. “And now I activate my own Pot of Greed.” Kagemaru drew two more cards and grabbed one. “Next I activate the field spell card, Fallen Paradise.”

Jaden cringed as his Skyscraper field spell was replaced with a barren wasteland. No sign of life anywhere to be seen. Jaden looked around in mild panic, as Tempest’s attack points fell from 4300 to his original 2800.

“Not good,” he muttered.

“Not only is your Skyscraper obliterated, but this new field allows me to draw two additional cards every round.” Kagemaru did just that. “Which gives me just enough to lay down three spell cards.” The facedowns appeared in front of him.

Jaden’s eyes widened in trepidation, he knew this trick. “Three spells?” he asked.

“I see, despite your grades, you are a quick learner. I send my three spell cards to the graveyard in order to summon the second Sacred Beast; Hamon: Lord of Striking Thunder.” The three spell cards transformed into ice crystals and shot into the distance. The ice cracked and arose another terrifying beast, this one in a disturbed image of the Winged Dragon of Ra, 4000 attack points flashed.

Zane looked at it with real fear in his mind. With the arrival of the second Sacred Beast, he could feel the shield weaken even more. Dark hissing threats were becoming more pronounced. He was still unable to make out the actual words, enough of the shield was still intact, but the venom behind them was unmistakable.

“That one represents the Winged Dragon of Ra!” Bastion exclaimed. He looked down at his own yellow jacket and back to the monster.

“Hamon, attack!” The yellow monster raised its head to the dark sky and let loose a lightning blast. “Let’s show his Tempest, the real storm.” Blue lightning rained down and struck the ground in multiple places. A large blast struck Tempest and destroyed the monster.

“Tempest, NO!” Jaden called out, an arm covering his face from the blast. Moving it down, he glared where Tempest was destroyed and then at Kagemaru. Jaden’s lifepoints were now down to 2600.

“And with Hamon’s special ability, should he destroy your monster, you suffer an additional 1000 points of damage,” Kagemaru cackled as the Slifer went white. “Oh don’t worry, it won’t hurt… me.” 

Another shot of blue lightning came down and hit Jaden directly. The shot sent him right to his knees in pain. Every spectator could hear his pain filled groans. Their hearts were in their throats and stomachs bottoming out with worry. One one swoop Jaden was now down to 1600 lifepoints, barely hanging on by a thread.

“Jaden!” Syrus called out.

“He’s got to be ok,” Chumley said. His voice wavered with uncertainty however.

Jaden folded in on himself, pain rushing through him. Atticus leaned forward, ready to put a stop to this. He had taken Jaden under his wing this year, and he’d be damned if he let it continue. The labored breathing was almost more than he could take listening to.

“Jaden, let me-”

“No, this is my fight. I am going to finish it,” Jaden snapped out. He hadn’t raised his head yet, but his voice was stronger now. No longer could they hear his pain filled groans and labored breathing.

“B-Boss,” the same voice called out. Zane looked to where Chazz was standing. Only instead of ignoring it this time, Chazz looked down and his eyes widened. “Help us boss, all of us.”

“Wh-what the hell is going on?” Chazz demanded. He flipped through his deck and gasped. “Everyone check your cards!”

All the duelists around pulled out the decks and looked. Zane felt his eyes widen as he saw almost all of his cards were now white. Only two had images left on them, Cyber End Dragon and the card with Hellshroud sealed inside of it. Cyber End Dragon was partially faded, but the sealed card had its full color image. Dark aura wisps reached out and wrapped around Zane’s wrist again. A burning sensation went through him.

“You- escape- be free,” the demonic voice hissed. However with the shield partially still around him, he didn’t hear the whole thing. He didn’t need to, he knew what Hellshroud was saying.

He looked around him and saw everyone else looking at their cards in disbelief and horror. Atticus’s hands were shaking and his eyes wide. Alexis was a mirror image of her brother. She let out a stifled gasp.

“All of my cards are fading. What’s happening?” she questioned.

“Mine too!” Chumley piped in. Tenderly he ran his large fingers over the now blank cards.

“Our monsters,” Bastion muttered. This was not scientifically possible, but here he was witnessing it.

“They-They’re all disappearing,” Syrus whimpered. He looked at his beloved Roid Deck and wanted to cry. These cards were everything to him.

“Of course, the Sacred Beasts draw their strength from dueling spirits. Not just those inside of humans, but the actual spirits themselves.” Kagemaru obviously took great delight in revealing that tidbit of information.

“That’s why they were locked away,” Zane summarized. “These beasts have the power to destroy all life on Earth.” His worried gaze lifted from his dragon to the sky, where he could see energy balls being drawn to Uria and Hamon.

“Impossible,” Dr. Crowler said in defiance. He was looking at his precious Ancient Gear Deck with tears in his eyes.

“Bummer,” Chumley said simply. He felt himself start to cry slightly at seeing his cards vanish before his eyes.

“No, not my cards. This can’t be happening,” Syrus echoed Crowler’s defiant statement without thinking. Misty eyes looked at his cards and then at his friends.

“But hold on, why aren’t Jaden’s cards fading?” Bastion questioned.

“Jaden has a unique dueling spirit, one I have never encountered before. Some sort of power within him that prevents such things from happening,” Kagemaru explained to the spectators. “With this special power, he can tame the Sacred Beasts and harness their power.”

Looking up from where he was kneeling on the ground, trying to stop the spasms of pain, Jaden glared at him. “So that’s why you want me. Not really me, but my dueling spirit?”

“Correct, once this Shadow Game is over, and you lay defeated… I will take your spirit.” Kagemaru let out a maniacal laugh. “Finally I will have the power to become the new Master of the Sacred Beasts. Once that is completed, we will absorb the lifeforce of every duelist and deck across the planet. This will allow me to become the ultimate ruler over them all.”

Golden rays shot from Uria and Hamon to where Kagemaru was. It almost seemed to be some sort of regeneration ray. The light glinted off the millennium ring on his finger and a blast of light blinded everyone around. With a loud yell of glee, the tank Kagemaru was encased in exploded.

Out jumped a younger looking man, with muscles to rival the top bodybuilders of the world. He had long dark hair that went down to his waist, and twin sections that rested against his face, over his shoulders. His dark eyes were alight with youthful power. He wore a white cloth over his crotch and nothing else, he looked like the reject Tarzan they dealt with earlier in the year.

Atticus reached over and covered his sister’s eyes on instinct. His face was pulled into a grimace and he felt dirty just looking at the guy basically naked. Zane did the same with Syrus, he didn’t need his younger brother seeing this before he was 18 at least. Both elite duelists locked eyes and felt shudders run through them. Sheppard let out a shocked gasp.

“He’s been reborn!” Sheppard couldn’t believe his eyes.

“I doubt it, it’s all for show!” Jaden challenged. Even while he was still on the ground, he was back to talking big.

Kagemaru smirked, and slid the duel disk onto his own arm now. Turning around he faced the machine he had been living in for so long. “Is this for show?” Tensing his muscles, he gripped the machine and picked it up, flung it against one of the pillars.

Everyone backed up instinctively. This guy was a monster… a human on too much enhancement. Once it connected with a pillar it exploded into smoke and flames. Landing on the ground somewhere in the distance, they could see trails of smoke coming from the trees. Sheppard pulled out his link, and sent an alert to the Academy Fire Department. He needed that small fire put out before it caught everything around them ablaze.

“I like this new body,” he murmured and twisted different directions to get a better view. “Yes, this will work perfectly… no something’s still missing.”

Jaden looked on with wide eyes, wondering if this was what actual terror was. Kagemaru looked at him with soulless eyes and Jaden was sure he saw evil incarnate.

“Oh I know, it’s your soul, Jaden. Let’s finish this duel!” Kagemaru declared.

Jaden managed to force himself to his feet. Swaying left and right for a moment, he finally found his footing and looked to his friends in concern. They were all depending on him. Even if he wanted Atticus to take his place now, he couldn’t. All of their cards were fading, the duel spirits being absorbed into the Sacred Beasts. A bone chilling thought went through him, causing his eyes to widen.

“Zane, how’s Cyber End Dragon?” Jaden called out in a panic. 

He was worried, remembering Duel Spirit Day, and seeing Cyber End Dragon standing protectively over Zane. Winged Kuriboh had told Jaden that Cyber End Dragon was shielding Zane from Hellshroud’s voice. If Cyber End was absorbed and disappeared, Zane would be left vulnerable to that demon’s voice.

Zane looked to Jaden, his gaze slightly defeated. Shaking his head slightly, he put the cards back in his deck holster before Atticus could take them and look. Jaden gulped and looked to Atticus and Syrus. Both were looking between the two in confusion. Jaden didn’t want to just blurt out what he was worried about… there had to be a way to alert them without drawing too much attention.

A soft sound came from over his shoulder, Jaden looked to Winged Kuriboh and an idea came to mind. Leaning close to the little furball, he whispered to it. He then pointed to Chazz, knowing Chazz would pass what he heard on to Atticus. Chazz’s eyes narrowed at Jaden when he saw him point.

Winged Kuriboh flew over to Chazz and stopped next to his right ear. Leaning in, Winged Kuriboh cooed and Chazz was left confused. He didn’t know how to communicate with this thing, there was no way to understand what it was saying. He looked down at Ojama Yellow and saw the little guy was holding on.

“Hey, what is this thing saying?” Chazz demanded.

“It’s saying to tell Atticus to watch… to watch out for Zane. Apparently Cyber End Dragon has been protecting him from… from someone called ‘Hellshroud’. And with all us duel spirits being absorbed he’s left open. Boss ya gotta save all of us…” Ojama Yellow trailed off as he became nothing more than stick thin bones.

Chazz’s eyes were wide as he looked at Zane in concern. Zane met his gaze head on, a knowing glint in his eyes. Zane heard the conversation he had with Ojama Yellow. Gritting his teeth, Chazz shoved the cards in his jacket and stalked the few feet to Zane.

“You weren’t going to say anything were you?” he demanded.

Jaden realized belatedly that having a hothead like Chazz relay an important message delicately, probably wasn’t the best idea. He sighed and shook his head, shooting an apologetic glance at Zane. The older Truesdale for his part simply looked at Chazz indifferently.

“I’m fine,” he said simply.

Chazz shook his head and looked at Atticus. “Apparently Cyber End Dragon was protecting him from that freaky entity. And now that Cyber End Dragon’s being absorbed by those- those beasts, there isn’t anything to keep it at bay.”

Atticus felt his eyebrows shoot up in alarm and looked at Zane. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“What good does it do? We have no way to get out of here.” Looking around at the blue electricity arcing from pillar to pillar, as if to drive his point home. Zane’s gaze then went to Jaden. “You are the last line of defense. You need to win this Jaden.”

“Don’t worry Zane, I AM going to win this!” Concerned brown eyes looked at Zane. Jaden hoped he could hold out against Hellshroud. “You just focus on not listening to that thing alright?”

Zane was still for a moment, a distant look in his gaze and Jaden realized he was probably hearing the voice right now. Finally taking a breath, Zane nodded his head. He closed his teal eyes for a moment and opened them, clarity in their depths once more. Atticus moved closer and put an arm around Zane’s shoulders and pulled him close.

“End this Jaden and hurry,” Atticus called.

Jaden gave the thumbs up to them all and turned once again to Kagemaru. Clenching a fist, he turned his gaze toward Kagemaru once more. Gritting his teeth, he put his legs shoulder width apart and stood ready for an attack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had planned on having the two episodes be one chapter... but oh man was it getting too long! By the time I realized it, I was just starting on the part 2 episode and I was at almost 20 pages. So I decided to break it up and here is the first part. I hope you all enjoyed it! Here you get to see both Jaden's point of view and inside Zane's mind. Yes, he's heard Hellshroud's voice in other chapters, but Cyber End Dragon was there to cut it off when it slipped through. Here, Cyber End is fading and Hellshroud knows it and plans to take absolute advantage. You would think Jaden would know Chazz can't help himself when it comes to these new emotions he feels. LOL. This is slightly darker and more intense than the canon on purpose, Kagemaru is an ultimate villain here. Also something will be slightly revealed in the next chapter, it was supposed to be in here but didn't quite make it. Any guesses? As always, thoughts and predictions welcome. Stay safe and healthy everyone!


	38. The Battle Against Sacred Beasts

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: THE BATTLE AGAINST SACRED BEASTS

“Ok, so staring down two Sacred Beasts without a single monster on my field? Not good,” Jaden thought. He looked from the two duel monsters to the REAL monster who summoned them.

Kagemaru chuckled and met the Slifer’s gaze. “Daunting, isn’t it? Fear not, my Sacred Beasts will end this for you and everyone soon.” His gaze went to where Zane stood as rigid as he could keep himself. “So you have managed to withstand Hellshroud this entire time once again? Impressive, Hell Kaiser.”

“Leave my brother out of this! You’ve done enough!” Syrus spat out, eyes blazing. He moved once again in front of Zane and kept his anger directed at the person in front of him.

“We’ll just see,” Jaden interrupted the stare down. Everyone turned their attention to Jaden once again. “My turn, and I summon a duelist’s best friend; Wroughtweiler. Good boy, just heel for now in defense mode.” The monster did just that, the mechanical canine crouched low to protect his master. “Next I’m throwing down a facedown and that will end my turn.”

Kagemaru’s deranged laugh started out soft, but grew in volume after a few moments. He threw his head back and let out a deep, maniacal laugh. “A pathetic facedown, and a duel doggy? That’s your big move? That’s how you plan to stop the two Sacred Beasts on my field? You do know you are running out time?”

Jaden simply glared balefully at the man in front of him. His eyes narrowed and he brought his arm out in front of him across his midsection. His gaze shifted to his facedown and his monster, he just needed to hang on. Eyes flickered to Zane once again, and prayed Zane could hold on as well.

“Oh well, where were we?” Kagemaru asked as he drew his card. “Ah yes, due to the effect of my field spell; Fallen Paradise, I can draw two extra cards once per turn.” He drew his two extra cards and without glancing at them, slashed his hand out. “Now, I wage an attack with Hamon: Lord of Striking Thunder.”

Once again, blue lightning flashes lit up the stormy sky. Jaden glanced up, keeping his face as neutral as he could manage. For a moment at the end, his gaze went to his monster.

“Go Cerulean Skyfire!” Kagemaru commanded. The lightning blasts came raining down and struck Wroghtweiler. When the monster was destroyed Kagemaru smiled cruelly. “And next I activate Hamon’s effect. Remember when he destroys a monster, you take 1000 points of damage.”

“Hang on Jaden!” Syrus called out, light blue eyes wide with pure panic.

A single blue lightning bolt came down and struck Jaden on the head. It went from the top of his head down his body into the ground. Letting out a pain filled yell, he was flung up with the force of the blast, as the earth exploded beneath his feet. His feet lifted off the ground and he did a flip in the air. He landed harshly on his back and bounced once more, landing on his butt before finally sliding to a stop 10 feet away from where he started.

Sitting there for a moment, he gasped for breath. Finally Jaden pulled his legs up and forced himself to his feet. His light colored pants were now covered in dirt from the constant blasts. Rubbing the back of his hand across his mouth, where he bit his lip when he landed and now blood seeped from the spot. He looked at Kagemaru and forced a smile. His lifepoints dropped by another 1000, leaving him with 600. A large difference from the 2900 Kagemaru has.

“Heh, nice special effect, but I’ve got one my own. Wroughtweiler’s special effect lets me pull one Elemental Hero and Polymerization from my graveyard and put them in my hand. So I should thank you for destroying him,” Jaden shot back. He pulled out the cards, Elemental Hero Bubbleman and his Polymerization and added them to his hand. He moved the remaining feet back to his original spot.

“Ha, too bad you won’t get the chance to play either card,” Kagemaru called out confidently.

“We’ll just have to see about that. Now just finish your turn,” Jaden retorted back, bracing himself.

“Fine, but it’s not just my turn that is about to be finished. You are about to be finished as well, Jaden. Now attack him directly, Uria! Use Hyper Blaze!”

Kagemaru pointed a finger in the air and lowered it to point at Jaden as he declared the attack. The fiery blast started to form in the triple mouth of the red dragon before it let the blast fire. Everyone was frozen in terror.

“It’s all over!” Sheppard cried out in despair,

“We’re done for,” Bastion replied.

“Jaden, no!” Syrus called out with wide eyes.

“Not so fast! I play my spell card, Flute of Summoning Kuriboh!” The spell card flipped up and Jaden smirked. “This lets me summon Winged Kuriboh from my deck.” The winged furball, appeared and let out a ‘coo’ sound. The blast connected with Winged Kuriboh instead of Jaden. He grunted and put both arms out to cover his face from the blast.

“Argh,” Kagemaru growled. “Nothing but pure luck.”

“Nah, that’s pure Kuriboh!” Jaden shot back. 

Winged Kuriboh appeared on his right shoulder and brushed a green claw against Jaden. Glancing at Kuriboh, Jaden raised a brow questioningly. Kuriboh simply pointed at his deck and vanished. Both Chazz and Zane shared a look, Chazz having seen it, and Zane having heard the calming ‘coo’. Jaden drew the card and gasped.

“This is Professor Banner’s card. The one I found in that tome of his,” Jaden said. Raising his gaze, he stared determinedly at Kagemaru. “And I have a hunch, he wanted me to have it… in order to beat you!”

“You give him far too much credit. He was nothing but a simple pawn I used. I used him to gather as many students as possible for me to experiment on. And he did so, never forget that. He gathered over two dozen students and brought them to the shadows. And he was not my only pawn, all of the Shadow Riders were my pawns. Everyone at this entire school are my pawns… and that includes you as well Jaden.”

“Yeah, you wish!” Jaden fired back in anger.

“Oh, but it is true. Your soul, once I win this duel, will be mine. A soul powerful enough to control the Sacred Beasts… and the world! Even now, I can sense it.” Kagemaru’s voice never changed pitch.

“Yeah, and that’s why you WON’T win it!” Jaden exclaimed in fury. He looked at his cards. “I summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman! And remember he gets lonely, so when he’s summoned out all alone, I get to draw two more cards!” Doing just that, Jaden nodded his head. “I will play one of those right now, the spell card: Metamorphosis. Now I can sacrifice my Bubbleman, and summon a fusion monster that’s the same level as he is!”

A swirl of water and bubbles covered Bubbleman. Everyone watched in fascination as Bubbleman evolved into the monster. Bubbleman gained wings, and his round frame became toned. The monster pointed the blaster toward the opponent and 800 points flashed. The transformation to Neo Bubbleman was complete. Kagemaru simply crossed his arms.

“Ha, you just sacrificed one weak monster for another. What did that accomplish?”

“I’ll show you what it accomplished, I activate my other spell; Bubble Blaster. The large water blaster fell from the sky and attached to Neo Bubbleman. The monster knelt down and trained his weapon straight ahead.

“With this, he gains a whopping extra 800 attack points. Now go, Neo Bubbleman, attack using Bubble Slamming Stream” Jaden commanded. His monster did just that and fired a water blast heading straight for Kagemaru and his monsters.

“You honestly think that little water gun makes a difference?” Kagemaru extended a hand. “Hamon, counter attack!”

The Yellow dragon raised its head and fired a golden shot. The two shots collided and for a moment it appeared as if they were even, much to everyone’s surprise. However the surprise was nothing compared to when the water overpowered the golden blast and Hamon was destroyed. Kagemaru looked back in shock and disbelief.

“Hamon, no!” He looked to Jaden with narrowed eyes. “How was he destroyed?!”

“He was destroyed thanks to Neo Bubbleman’s special ability. When he battles with a monster, that monster is automatically destroyed,” Jaden explained.

“But how? He was stronger, so you should have still taken damage!” Kagemaru screeched with both fists clenched.

“Shoulda, woulda, coulda,” Jaden replied nonchalantly. “By just destroying Bubble Blaster, all damage I would have taken, becomes a big, fat zero!”

“Nice move,” Sheppard complimented from the side. A small smile on his face.

“Yeah! Way to play Jay!” Syrus cheered and thrust a fist in the air.

“Lastly, I will throw down a facedown and call it a turn.” Jaden took a breath.

“Your last turn! Thanks to Fallen Paradise, I get to add two more cards to my hand.” Kagemaru drew his next two cards. “Now Uria, finish him with Hyper Blaze!” The monster launched the attack as ordered. A large fireblast heading straight for Jaden.

“I don’t think so, I reveal my facedown. Do your stuff, Bubble Illusion. See when Bubbleman’s on the field and I place this card, I can play a trap card straight from my hand.” Jaden glanced at his hand and flipped a card around. “I chose this one, Hero’s Rule One: Five Freedoms. Five trap cards now leave the graveyard!”

“They what?” Kagemaru exclaimed in disbelief.

“That’s right, they leave the game. So go ahead and say your goodbyes!” Jaden sneered.

“Well done Jaden! With those trap cards gone, Uria’s attack points will go down dramatically,” Bastion said with glee. He clenched a fist in front of him and smiled at Jaden.

“Yeah, a thousand per trap card,” Chazz piped in with a grin of his own.

“Which means Uria’s new attack points will be nothing,” Dr. Crowler said with a smile. He clasped his hands together in front of him.

“All right, now Neo Bubbleman’s got the edge in this fight! Go Neo Bubbleman!” Jaden exclaimed. Bubbleman took aim and fired a streaming water shot.

Kagemaru had sweat running down his face as he took a step back, cringing the entire time. The water blast from Neo Bubbleman was more than enough power to destroy the red dragon. The Sacred Beast became no more in a massive explosion in the sky. 

Zane took a breath, he felt the shield around his mind stabilize. With both Sacred Beasts destroyed and off the field, Cyber End Dragon regained some of its power. It wouldn’t return to full power until the cards were sealed below the earth again, but this was something.

Atticus gripped him tightly. “Hang on alright? Jaden’s turning this around, I know he’ll win.”

“I know, I know,” Zane responded quietly.

Kagemaru let out a yell, and shielded his face with his arm. His black hair whipped around him as his lifepoints dropped by 800. Now he only had 2100 lifepoints, he glared at the spot where Uria once was. His heated gaze returned to Jaden once more.

“You’re only postponing the inevitable. You can’t stop the Beasts! Especially with this, I play the card Resurrection Tribute! Now since my monster was destroyed, I can destroy one of yours. That means Bubbleman will now burst,” Kagemaru declared.

Bubbleman did just that and Jaden was left staring at an empty space. “Oh no.”

“Oh yes, and there’s more Jaden. I also get to summon back a monster from my graveyard to the field in defense mode.” A gold light appeared from Kagemaru’s graveyard and lightning blasted the ground behind him. “So rise again, Hamon!” 

The monster rose up in defense mode, with a whopping total of 4000 defense points. Letting out a roar, Zane felt Cyber End’s power waver with a Sacred Beast back on the field. Keeping his spine straight, and knees locked was more than likely the only reason he was still on his feet and not on the ground gripping his head.

“Next, I activate Uria’s effect. By discarding a trap card, I can summon him back to the field. Now, be reborn!” At the command, flames made of lava shot up and the cursed red dragon was resurrected once more.

Zane couldn’t stop the flash of pain through his mind. Hellshroud was beating at the chains and barrier. Guilt was eating at him as well, Cyber End was trying to fight back to save him. Zane could hear how pained its soul sounded. Closing his eyes for a moment, he focused inward and found the connection to Cyber End. He sent his own reassurances, telling it to focus on itself. He wanted the spirit to conserve its energy. He opened his eyes moments later and looked back at the duel in front of him.

“Oh great,” Jaden supplied lamely.

“Not again,” Alexis whispered. She clutched a fist and brought it to her chin as she looked at the beast.

“Next I activate the spell Phantasmal Martyrs. When I have both Uria and Hamon on the field I can send two cards in my hand to the graveyard. Then I can summon three of these,” Kagemaru explained with dark glee. White lights appeared on his field. “Phantasmal Martyr Tokens!”

Each one looked like a humanoid aquatic creature. All three had absolutely no attack points and the smile Kagemaru was sending Jaden’s way was the most disturbing of all. Everyone looked on with fear and trepidation, this wasn’t going to be good.

“And since he sent the trap card; Divine Wrath to the graveyard, Uria’s attack and defense points rise by 1000. Making the grand total 2000,” Bastion pointed out.

“Yeah we see that Bastion. Don’t need the play by play,” Chazz sniped out agitated.

“And just like that, my two beasts are out once again. It’s as if you are back where you started, but I have some bad news. You’re not! I now sacrifice my three Phantasmal Tokens, to summon my last Sacred Beast. So you see Jaden, you’re not back where you started… you’re in a much worse spot!”

Lightning lit up the sky once more and everyone looked up. A blue/white beam shot down to the center of the arena and encompassed them all. As soon as it hit ground, wind much harsher than before whipped around them. Zane reached out for the third time and grabbed Syrus by the back of his jacket. Putting an arm up, he shielded his face. Everyone else was clinging to one another for protection, covering their faces from the wind and light. Jaden let out a yell of his own and Zane saw the Slifer struggling to hold his ground.

“Behold, Raviel: Lord of Phantasms!” Kagemaru exclaimed. 

The final beast rose behind him as the light swirled all around them. Predictably it was a variation of Obelisk the Tormentor. Jagged horns protruding from its head and shoulders. Massive bat-like wings extended out from its back. It let out a devastating roar that shook the sky, sea and land around it. It was much worse than its counterparts.

“Ok, so definitely not friendly,” Jaden said mildly. His eyes stared up at the monster.

“Not good, he’s managed to gather all three of them out at once now,” Zane snapped out. He let go of Syrus and squinted.

As the light started to calm, Zane felt something snap inside his mind. The barrier was gone, shattered as the last of Cyber End Dragon’s spirit was absorbed by the final Sacred Beast. His teal eyes widened, and he felt his knees buckle and he went down hard. Atticus let out a shocked yell and was next to Zane in an instant.

Gripping the sides of his head with both hands, Zane shook it back and forth. With Cyber End Dragon’s barrier gone, Hellshroud had full reign in his mind. His entire body shook with the pain Hellshroud was eagerly creating. Wreaking havoc on him as the host, revenge for the imprisonment.

“Yes, freedom! I shall make you pay for keeping me imprisoned in your mind, Kaiser. Once I am through with you, there will be nothing left of your own will,” the hissing voice echoed in his mind. Hellshroud sent dark flames through his mind, and Zane could feel the burn to his very soul. “I will rule once again.”

“Zane? Zane what’s wrong?” Atticus asked, panicked. He wrapped arms around his boyfriend and pulled him close, feeling the tremors wrack his body.

Everyone looked over and saw what was happening. Syrus was kneeling in front of his older brother, light, fretting touches running over his shaking form. He wasn’t sure where he could touch to help. Sheppard shoved the others out of the way and was on his knees next to his former student. Snapping a hand out, he reached for Zane’s deck holster.

Flipping through the cards, Sheppard gasped. All but one card was blank, the card which held Hellshroud’s consciousness. “Cyber End Dragon is gone,” he muttered.

Atticus grit his teeth and held Zane tighter. He turned his attention back to Jaden, fury blazing in his eyes. “Jaden, you need to win. And do it now!”

Jaden felt his eyes widen as he looked at all the energy orbs being absorbed by the Sacred Beasts. Everyone here already had their cards drained because they were too close to the first two Sacred Beasts. And this was a lot more energy, clearly with all three out now, they were stealing spirits from all over the world.

Jaden’s gaze went to where Zane was curled up now. Without Cyber End Dragon to keep Hellshroud at bay, he was left wide open. And apparently the entity was causing as much pain as it could as payback. Zane wasn’t uttering a single sound, but Jaden could see the way his body was shaking. All the while, they heard Kagemaru laughing. Jaden turned his glare to the man responsible for all this.

“Yes, yes come to me, all the energy of the world!” Kagemaru shouted out. The statement was followed by more insane laughter.

“Anyone tell you, you’re a freak show?” Jaden yelled at him.

Sheppard put Zane’s deck back in the holster and rubbed his back in hopeful comfort. His gaze went to where Kagemaru was standing, his arms outstretched and fists tightly closed. A demented smile on his face, eyes wide and manic. And somehow appeared in even better health than just moments ago.

“It’s as if he’s absorbing duel energy himself. And converting it to life for him,” Sheppard said. He rose to his feet and looked the Superintendent head on.

“That’s not in the rules,” Dr. Crowler muttered.

“Pretty sure this asshole doesn’t care about rules here, Dr. Crowler!” Atticus snapped out. With Zane’s shaking form in his arms, he was ready to start an actual fight with Kagemaru. The guy was pure evil here, and deserved to have his ass beat and to rot in hell.

“Now, the spirits tell me you’re close to defeat, Jaden. Already they surrender themselves to me, yielding to me their might. And once you are crushed, I will use the Sacred Beasts to rule the world. I will usher in a new world order.”

“So if Jaden loses this…” Chazz trailed off uncomfortably. Already he felt the void where his duel spirits should be.

“Every duel spirit will be absorbed,” Zane fished as he pulled back from Atticus.

“Zane, look at me. Please,” Atticus begged. He ran a gentle hand over Zane’s head and rested it on his cheek.

Zane raised his gaze, and Atticus nearly choked at the pain in those eyes. He almost would rather prefer to see them blank, because at least then he wasn’t in pain. Leaning his forehead against his boyfriend’s Atticus rubbed his arms, trying to soothe the taunt muscles there.

“Sorry to disappoint you, Kagemaru. But there’s no way I’m letting you get away with any of it. You really aren’t getting away with what you did to Zane, and all my other friends.” Jaden clenched a fist and pointed at the madman in front of him, before turning his eyes to the oldest Truesdale. “Just hang on, Zane. I’ll beat him as quickly as possible, you just stay down and rest.”

Zane closed his eyes and slumped against Atticus. The brunette Obelisk hugged Zane tight, and turned to Jaden, nodding his head. Sheppard leaned down and helped Atticus get situated, where Zane could rest his head on his lap. His pale face was drenched in sweat and breathing labored. Syrus felt tears running down his cheeks as he looked at his brother in worry.

Jaden looked at his friends and then stared down the madman and his trio of terror. “It’s time to step up my game. My draw,” Jaden exclaimed as he drew a card. “I play the spell card, Dark Factory of Mass Production. This lets me take two monsters from my graveyard and add them straight to my hand. The ones I’m picking are Burstinatrix and Avian. Next I play Polymerization to fuse them together. Come on out, Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!” Jaden exclaimed. His favorite fusion monster lept on the field and stood before Jaden protectively.

“Very well, but Raviel’s special ability activates. When you summon a monster, I get to summon a Sacred Beast token.” A token in the image of Raviel appeared on the field with its arms crossed.

Jaden looked intently at his opponent's field, a sweat drop running down his cheek. “Hmm, with the Flame Wingman on the field, I can destroy Uria this turn. But those other two Sacred Beasts, Hamon and Raviel will take me out next turn for sure. Man what to do, what to do,” Jaden thought as he tapped his forehead with a closed fist.

He looked over to where everyone was watching him. Atticus had his hand resting on Zane’s chest, probably because it didn’t look like he was breathing. It was the only way to tell if Zane was still breathing. Alexis and Chazz were standing behind Atticus both with worried expressions. Syrus was sitting next to Atticus, a hand resting on his brother’s shoulder. Light blue eyes, bouncing from his unconscious brother to where Jaden was standing. Bastion and Chumley were side by side and not looking away from the duel. Finally Crowler and Sheppard were looking at him head on, concern in their gazes.

“Jaden,” a soft voice echoed near his ear suddenly.

Jaden perked up and looked around suddenly. Glancing over, he saw no one else seemed to have heard it, and it didn’t sound like any of his friends. In fact it sounded like… 

“Professor Banner?” Jaden whispered.

A tiny ball of light floated toward him and stopped. Pharaoh appeared suddenly as well and jumped up trying to reach the ball of light. It was a slightly comical sight. The round cat jumped as high as he could, to reach a ball of light that was just out of reach. Each time he missed, a loud, angry meow was heard.

“Not now, Pharaoh,” Banner spoke and continued to float near Jaden’s head. “Jaden, you must use the card now.”

“But, how do I use it?” Jaden questioned. He looked at the last card in his hand, the card that Banner left behind for this duel.

“That is for you to decide, my boy. For you see, this card is only as good as its owner. It will grant you three card converts. That means it will transform into whatever card you wish, but you only have three times to use it. After the third, it’s true power will be revealed. And if you have played it right, it will-”

Banner’s voice was cut off, just as Pharaoh managed to get enough air and the cat swallowed up the ball of light. Jaden was horrified at what he just witnessed as he looked down at the feline. Pharaoh simply meowed at Jaden and took off out of the arena. Chazz intercepted the cat and grabbed him. Walking back to the group, Chazz held Pharaoh in his arms and continued to watch the duel. Jaden blinked and looked from where his friends were, to the card in his hand.

“So I just think of a card I need?” Jaden thought as he closed his eyes. “Well, I guess it couldn’t hurt to try.” Jaden focused on a card he wanted, and the power flowed from him to the card he held. Opening his eyes, he was shocked to see it worked, he had Fusion Recovery. He lost half his lifepoints, taking him down to 300, but it was worth it. “Thanks Professor Banner!” Jaden exclaimed.

Everyone was wondering what happened. Jaden lost 300 lifepoints, and was smiling. On top of that, he was thanking Banner. Confused eyes met one another as they all exchanged looks. Finally they looked at Pharaoh in Chazz’s arms. A warm glow was coming from his stomach, which to be fair wasn’t the strangest thing they had ever seen. Pharaoh jumped from Chazz’s arms and settled on Zane’s chest.

Zane felt himself in his mind curling up from the pain. Hellshroud was spitting threats and promises of endless torment and pain. Fire raged through his system, feeling as if he was being burned alive. The mental toll was breaking him, he wanted it to end and was willing to do anything again. Suddenly a light was in front of him.

“WHAT?!” Hellshroud yelled out.

Zane raised his gaze, and was shocked to see the form of Professor Banner in front of him. His back was to the Obelisk student, and arms splayed out wide in a symbol of protection. Turning his head around, Banner looked at Zane kneeling behind him.

“I’m so sorry my boy. I never wanted any of you to be harmed. You have fought hard enough, let me protect you until Jaden wins this duel. Close your eyes and rest, you can trust me on this for one last time,” Banner said. Turning his attention back to where Hellshroud’s dark magic was trying to reach Zane, Banner laughed. “You won’t win Hellshroud, Zane has beaten you before and he will hold out again.”

Feeling warmth coming from the Professor, Zane closed his eyes and slumped over in his mind. He didn’t have the strength to keep fighting. He prayed that Banner was as good of a person as Jaden claimed he was.

In the outside world, Atticus noticed that when Pharaoh curled up on Zane’s chest, somehow his breathing became easier. He was about to remove the cat, but at the last moment decided against it. Maybe this was helping somehow. Instead he brushed Zane’s forehead and moved his sweaty bangs.

“Hang on just a little bit longer,” he whispered.

“Alright, I’m activating the spell card Fusion Recovery!” Jaden proclaimed, holding the card up.

“So what? That won’t change anything Jaden!” Chazz called out.

“It could, it all just depends on how he plays it,” Alexis countered. She narrowed her eyes at Jaden, and prayed he would know what to do.

“Now, Polymerization and Elemental Hero Sparkman return to my hand from the graveyard. Next I’m activating Polymerization and fuse my Elemental Hero Flame Wingman and Elemental Hero Sparkman to form, Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman!”

A new monster Jaden hadn’t played before appeared. Everyone looked at the bright glow coming from the monster. It’s armor around its entire body was neon white and had mechanical wings out the back. The noticed something else, it only had 2500 attack points.

“Then I get another token,” Kagemaru countered. Another token appeared on the field.

“Cool, because I get something too. An extra 300 attack points for Flare Wingman, for each hero that’s just chilling in my graveyard. And right now, there’s a total of seven!”

Everyone smiled and clenched their fists in hopefulness. Flare Wingman’s attack points rose from his original 2500, to a whopping 4600 now. He had some serious firepower behind him now!

“That can’t be! How can he have 4600 points?” Kagemaru demanded.

Jaden leaned in with a wicked smile of his own. “That’s right, and he’s got a special ability to boot! See when he destroys a monster in battle, you take damage equal to that monster’s attack points.”

“Wait, so-”

“So, go get him Shining Flare Wingman, attack with Shining Emerald Orb!” Jaden ordered the attack.

The Elemental Hero did as instructed and shot into the air. He went straight for Hamon and hovered in front of him. A neon green ball of light forming in between his hands, and it grew in size for a few moments before it was let loose. The blast connected and destroyed Hamon, causing Kagemaru to let out a yell.

“And now Wingman, let’s light up Kagemaru with your special ability!” Jaden yelled. 

Everyone leaned forward, expecting this to be the end. No one dared to breathe, everyone waited for the madman’s lifepoints to finally hit zero. Yet they never did. Hamon’s destroyed remains flew in front of Kagemaru to protect him. Everyone let out angry gasps at the sight.

“A good try, but if Hamon is destroyed in defense mode… all damage to me becomes zero.” Kagemaru let out a laugh, this one tinged with relief.

Flare Wingman jumped back to stand by Jaden. The Slifer was gritting his teeth and glaring at his opponent. He thought for sure he had him, and it would be the end. Looking down at Banner’s card, he closed his eyes and thought about what card he wanted next. Once again his lifepoints were cut in half, putting him at 150, as the card glowed.

“Alright, I’m throwing down a facedown, and ending my turn.”

Kagemaru drew a card. “And I’ll begin mine. First due-”

“Yeah, yeah, just draw your two cards already,” Jaden snapped out. He was getting more than a little annoyed with Kagemaru spelling it out every turn.

“Alright, next I switch Uria from defense mode to attack mode.” The beast let out a roar as it moved. “And next I’ll activate Raviel’s effect. By sacrificing two monsters on my field, for this turn only I can add those monster’s attack points to Raviel. Taking him from 4000 to 6000.”

Everyone went white and wide eyed as they stared at the giant, blue beast. It seemed to glow with the power it absorbed.

“So that’s why he summoned those tokens!” Bastion exclaimed. “It powers up Raviel and powers down Jaden.”

“Go Raviel, clean your claws on that Shining Flare Wingman!” Kagemaru ordered. Raviel reared back an arm and prepared to strike.

“I don’t think so. I play my facedown, the second card I wished for. I activate, Defusion! This splits my monster back into two, and takes away your target,” Jaden countered. Both Elemental Hero Flame Wingman and Sparkman appeared and knelt down in front of Jaden in defense mode.

“Very well, but defusion counts as two summonings, so I get two tokens. Now then Raviel, go on and destroy the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman with Shimmering Scrapper!” Raviel destroyed Flame Wingman. “And now Uria will finish off the other one!”

With those two moves, Jaden was once again defenseless in the face of two Sacred Beasts. Jaden brought up an arm and shielded his face from the blast. Gritting his teeth, Jaden drew a card.

“Oh yeah? Well I summon Elemental Hero Clayman in attack mode,” Jaden proclaimed. The mud monster jumped up and stood in front of Jaden.

“One more beast token for me,” Kagemaru countered.

Jaden stared at the field ahead of him, gripping Banner’s card. Looking down at it, he closed his eyes. “Alright, this is it. One final wish, the last card coming,” Jaden thought. His lifepoints once again were cut in half, going down to 75. Jaden made his final wish.

“I play Miracle Fusion! With this card, I can take monsters from my field and graveyard and combine them… in order to summon a fusion monster.” Jaden smiled, deviously at Kagemaru. “So I remove the Avian, Bubbleman and Burstinatrix in my graveyard, along with the Clayman on my field to summon Elemental Hero Electrum!”

A new hero jumped out. All the spectators looked at one another, this was another monster Jaden hadn’t played before. They just hoped it would be enough here. The hero was clad in a skintight gold jumpsuit with a large ‘E’ on his chest and stood tall and proud in front of Jaden, with his 2900 attack points.

Jaden looked at the card in his hand. “All right, the third card convert’s been used. Now to see what this card’s real power is. And to see if I played my cards right,” Jaden thought. He watched a rainbow glow come from the card, and grit his teeth. 

“All right, next I play Sabatiel: The Philosopher’s Stone. And it says here, when I equip it onto Electrum, his attack points are multiplied by the number of monsters you have on your field.” A shimmering rainbow form of a weapon appeared in Electrum’s hands. “And that would be five monsters. So Electrum’s attack points are now…” Jaden trailed off.

“14,500?!” Kagemaru screeched out. His eyes were so wide, all you could see were the whites. Sweat was rolling down his cheek.

Electrum gripped the handle of the now fully formed weapon. It was a double edged weapon with teal ribbons on each end. Swinging it around, the hero crouched down, waiting for the order to attack from his master.

“It’s over! Now go Hero Electrum, end this for everyone! Seal this guy’s fate with one swing,” Jaden commanded.

Electrum did just that, gripping the center handle, he jumped into the air and went right for Raviel. Swinging the double blade upwards, Electrum plunged down and sliced the giant blue beast in half. All the way from the head to its tail. Kagemaru watched in horror as Raviel was cleaved in two and Electrum jumped away before the blast.

Raviel blew up, flames and light shooting out from where the beast stood. Kagemaru let out a pain filled scream as the smoke and light concealed him from everyone’s view. As the smoke cleared, everyone saw him on his knees slamming his fists on the ground.

“Impossible, the Sacred Beasts can’t be beaten!” he yelled out as his lifepoints dropped to zero. He looked to where Uria was slowly dissolving, the orbs it had absorbed releasing back into the world.

The sky above everyone cleared and the group of friends all cheered. The electric barrier that prevented them from leaving the area dissolved. No trace of the dangerous duel left behind.

Inside his mind, Zane opened his eyes to see Banner smiling down at him. He reached a thin hand out to Zane and helped him to his feet. With nothing more than another smile and wave, Banner dissolved into light.

Zane looked around and noticed the darkness of his mind was filling with light once more. He could feel Cyber End Dragon building the shield, and sending comfort through their bond. Smiling, he clutched a fist to his chest and let the warmth wash away the rest of the darkness.

While everyone was cheering for Jaden’s victory, Atticus felt Zane shift. Wide brown eyes looked down and saw teal eyes open, and they were clear of any pain. Pharaoh meowed at them, and Zane shockingly reached out to rub his ears as he sat up. The round cat dropped from Zane’s chest into his lap and began to clean his paws.

“You’re alright?” Atticus asked.

“Yeah, looks like Jaden did it. I can feel Cyber End returning, the shield is rebuilding,” Zane responded with a small smile. He tried to force himself to his feet, but Sheppard and Syrus each put a hand out to stop him.

“Stay down for a minute, Truesdale. I’ll call the medics to come out,” Sheppard ordered and looked to Atticus. “Rhodes, keep him down.”

“Sure thing, Chancellor Sheppard.” Atticus moved slightly so Zane could rest against him and put his arms around his boyfriend to hold tight. Atticus kept Zane pressed close to his chest, with his arms acting as a barrier. Keeping Zane from trying to stand up, and keeping most people away, while Atticus got his heart to settle. 

Syrus gripped his brother tightly in a hug and cried. Zane sighed, but returned the hug, grateful he wasn’t lost in the Shadows once again. His gaze went to where Kagemaru was curled in on himself. A blue aura surrounded him and suddenly countless golden orbs were shooting from his back. He arched and let out another yell.

As one orb went past Jaden, he felt a cold chill. “Hello again, Jaden,” the voice said quietly.

Snapping his spine straight he whipped around and saw a dark figure evolve from the orb that hid in the trees. His eyes widened, he had to be seeing things… it couldn’t be her. He shook his head and forced himself to put it in the back of his mind. He instead looked once again at the card in his hand, before looking around. 

His gaze went to the side when he heard Atticus and Zane talking. Smiling he saw the older Truesdale sitting up, with Atticus positioned behind him for support. Syrus was clinging to Zane as if his life depended on it. Everyone else was cheering and clapping their hands, even Dr. Crowler.

A number of the orbs stopped at Chazz and returned to his deck. Jaden smiled as Chazz looked down at them, with a small smile of his own. Suddenly Ojama Yellow jumped out of the card and danced around Chazz’s body before settling on his right shoulder.

“You’re back!” he exclaimed with barely restrained relief.

“Oh, you ain’t ever going to get rid of me boss,” Ojama Yellow responded.

Sparkling lights in his peripheral vision had Jaden looking at the card in his hand. It was slowly dissolving away and Jaden released his grip on it. The light specks floated away and Jaden turned his gaze toward the sky, following them.

“What a card. Thanks Professor Banner, I won’t ever forget you,” Jaden whispered. A gentle laugh was the only response he heard.

Pained groaning and gasping drew his attention to Kagemaru. In fact the sounds got everyone’s attention. They all watched on in disturbing fascination as his body seemed to return to its aged state. Jaden ran up to him, the caring heart he had extended to even enemies, much to everyone’s chagrin.

“Are you alright?” he asked as he got near Kagemaru.

Kagemaru let out one last yell, and raised his hands to the sky. The last of the dueling energy he had absorbed left him in a rush. All that was left was his old body. White hair, still just as long, covered him almost completely. He was stick thin, unhealthily so and a white beard could be seen. Everyone gasped as they got their first good look at what he really looked like.

“Dear me,” Sheppard muttered.

“Whoa, look at him!” Syrus exclaimed. He had let go of his brother to see what was happening.

“It’s true, I’m an old man. Wanting what simply everyone does, to have that eternal life, to recapture my youth. Harnessing the power of those Sacred Beasts was the only way I found to do it,” Kagemaru tried to explain.

“Yeah, and to take over the world,” Jaden spat back. Anger flowed through him as he stalked toward Kagemaru.

“Can’t you forgive a decrepit old man?” Kagemaru grasped Jaden’s arms and looked at him. Gasping, he quickly let go.

Jaden looked down at him, his eyes a bright gold. The color wasn’t a human hue either, it was something else entirely. The Slifer stared down at the old man before him. Jaden could feel himself angry, but he closed his eyes and pushed back the anger and opened them once more. They were back to their normal brown color.

“I guess… but don’t you see, old timer? Stealing all that power, it leaves you like this. Because it’s not real, and not yours.” Jaden pointed back to where the others were and Kagemaru followed his gaze. “You hurt a lot of people. All those missing students, Zane over there… they were innocent and you hurt them. You need to find a way to make up for that, before anyone thinks about forgiving you,” Jaden’s voice was calm.

Kagemaru nodded his head and looked at all the students who fought to protect the world. They all stared back at him, some with pity, others with sheer hatred in their gazes. Jaden reached down and helped Kagemaru to his feet, letting the old man lean on him for support. Smiling like his usual self, Jaden hugged him.

“Now, it's never too late to try and find the power and will inside yourself. Now see if you can stand on your own, I’m right here just in case.” Jaden slowly released his grip on the old man and backed up a little.

Kagemaru swayed back and forth a bit, before getting his balance. Jaden stood there a little off to the side, arms outstretched just in case he fell. After a few long moments, Kagemaru found his footing, and smiled. He looked to Jaden in excitement.

“Hey, look I’m standing!” he exclaimed in joy. Jaden nodded his head with a smile reflected back. “It must have been our duel. Yes, that’s it. All the excitement put the spring back in my step.” Kagemaru took a couple shaky steps toward Jaden.

Jaden couldn’t help himself, he reached out and hugged the old man tight. So tight in fact that everyone on the sidelines could hear bones snapping. They all looked at one another and snickered, Jaden would always be Jaden. Said Slifer at the moment was panicking as Kagemaru slid bonelessly to the ground below.

Sheppard had already called for a medical team to get Zane back to the academy, but it appeared they would need another for Kagemaru. Zane met Sheppard’s eyes and shook his head. Signalling that Kagemaru clearly needed the medical transport more than he did. He smiled at his old mentor, and Sheppard felt his heart soar. Perhaps Truesdale, wouldn’t hold what Kagemaru revealed against him after all.

Moments later the medical team was rushing into the clearing. Sheppard directed them to where Jaden was having a panic attack holding Kagemaru up. Everyone was laughing at how Jaden could break every bone in someone’s body with a simple hug. Even Atticus was willing to accept that as revenge for what happened to Zane, well part of it anyway.

The old man was put on a stretcher and carried away. Jaden was laughing as he walked up rubbing the back of his head.

“Man, I guess bear hugs and old people, really don’t mix,” Jaden laughed.

Syrus jumped over and hugged him tight. Laughing, Jaden hugged his best friend back and met everyone’s gaze. Everyone looked alright and was smiling back, they managed to do it. All the way to the end, they saved the world.

“Well you may have broken some bones, but you somehow managed to heal other parts of him Jaden,” Alexis said on a snicker.

Chazz crossed his arms and huffed. “Some broken bones? Ha, he’s lucky that’s all he got. He put all of us through hell. He had students kidnapped. He needs to pay for that.”

“And he will Chazz, don’t doubt it,” Sheppard said. Everyone turned to look at the Chancellor in question. He simply walked over to the sealed container that had risen from the ground at the end of the duel. “It’s over, and it’s going to stay that way. From now on the Sacred Beasts will be under my guard, and my guard alone.”

He placed the three cards in the center and a ball of light encased them once more. Twin flaps came up and pulled the cards into the larger sealed box. The markings all lit up and the box once again slid underground. Not leaving a trace of what lied below. The seven stone pillars all sank back in the ground as well.

A groan caught their attention. Everyone looked over and saw Martin Collins coming around. Once again everyone was furious, as they remembered he was responsible for this part of the fiasco. Sheppard and Dr. Crowler walked over to him and lifted him.

“Come with us young man. We have some things to discuss,” Sheppard said, deathly calm.

Zane knew that tone, and knew Martin wasn’t getting off easy. He almost pitied the poor guy, but not enough to tell Sheppard to go easy. Instead he sent a smirk, and Atticus waved with a forced pleasant smile.

“Sure is going to be quiet around here now,” Syrus said with a sigh.

“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure. You see, next week are the Duel Academy Promotion exams for all underclassmen and for the seniors, it’s their final,” Dr. Crowler pointed out with a grin.

Jaden felt his heart stop and his face go white. “Promotion exams?!” he wailed.

“Yes, that’s right,” Dr. Crowler responded gleefully.

“I totally forgot!” Jaden cried out. He sank to his knees next to where Zane was and cried.

Everyone looked at Jaden amused. Dr. Crowler was laughing as he and Chancellor Sheppard escorted the third year Obelisk back to Sheppard’s office. Zane looked at Jaden in amusement and Syrus looked concerned.

“Pathetic,” Chazz muttered. He gave Jaden a side look.

“Saving the world’s one thing, but making the grade?” Atticus laughed.

“Not really Jaden’s cup of tea,” Bastion supplied laughing. He crossed his arms and looked at the cowering Slifer.

“That’s true, better get studying,” Alexis offered offhandedly. She brought a hand up to her cheek and laughed as Jaden went whiter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, we are finally done with the main antagonist for Season 1. This chapter is 15 pages, so I'm glad I broke the episode up into two parts. LOL. Now I wanted a small redemption for Banner here, hence why his spirit protected Zane from Hellshroud inflicting anymore pain. Can anyone guess who the duel spirit Jaden thought he saw was? Kudos to the person who gets it right. Now I was able to get this written, as my new job lets me get out around 5 every night. And I get weekends off, so I get actual time to write! I am so excited for this opportunity, both for my career and this series. As always thoughts and predictions welcome. Would you all be interested if I kept this going and continued with other seasons? Let me know. Hope everyone stays healthy and safe. Until the next chapter!


	39. Final, The Ultimate Villain

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: FINALS, THE ULTIMATE VILLAIN

The sun had long since set, leaving the sky lit up with the moon and countless stars. Zane was walking around with the round cat trailing behind him. For some reason ever since the final battle against Kagemaru, Pharaoh had started trailing behind him. Teal eyes looked down at the cat and he sighed. He wasn’t sure how to get rid of Pharaoh without seeming heartless. And truth be told, he was starting to like the feline.

Sighing and shaking his head, he leaned down and picked the cat up. Pharaoh purred and wrapped his tail around Zane’s arm. Leaning down, he nuzzled the furry head and looked around. He had come outside for some fresh air and the need to clear his mind. Traces of darkness still lingered, but after Cyber End Dragon regained its power the shield was strong.

A loud sigh caught his attention and Zane turned his head. Sitting on the edge of the cliff was Jaden. Zane could see the bright red Slifer jacket even in the dark. His short, spiked brown hair was blowing in the wind. He was sitting cross legged and staring out into the distance. Running a hand over his hair, Zane felt himself worry for the Slifer.

Making a snap decision he walked over and sat down silently next to Jaden. The brunette Slifer looked over in shock to see Zane sitting next to him. Wide brown eyes looked where Pharaoh was starting to sound like an engine with his purring.

“Everything ok Zane?” Jaden asked. He reached a hand out and ran it down Pharaoh’s fur.

“Yeah, I was out walking around and saw you here. Thought you could use some company.” Zane turned his head from looking straight ahead to looking directly at Jaden.

Jaden was quiet for a moment before sighing once again. He nodded his head and looked back over the water and horizon. They sat in silence side by side for a time. Win blew their hair and water splashed up, droplets hitting their faces. Finally Jaden turned his eyes to Zane, wanting to ask.

“Do you hate Professor Banner?” Jaden blurted out.

Zane raised an eyebrow and looked at Jaden. “It’s a complicated feeling, Jaden. If you had asked me before, I would have more than likely said absolutely. He took away my life for two years, basically turned me into someone I wasn’t. I didn’t remember anyone I love. The other students from the class suffered too… there are so many reasons for me to hate him.” Jaden flinched as if Zane slapped him. “But…” Zane trailed off as the Slifer raised his gaze, hopefully. “You were also right in saying he wasn’t a bad person.”

“What do you mean?” Jaden asked. He leaned closer looking at Zane, looked from the older duelist to the feline purring and yawning in Zane’s lap.

“What I mean is you were right Jaden in how he was. During your duel with Kagemaru when Hellshroud broke free in my mind, it was creating massive pain.” Zane rubbed Pharaoh between his ears. “Somehow Banner’s spirit entered my mind and was able to protect me. He allowed me to conserve my energy and not have to fight back. He kept Hellshroud from taking over my mind and soul once again.”

“He really did that? Wait, you saw him?” Jaden questioned. His eyes lit up with glee. If Zane was able to forgive Banner, maybe he could convince the others to do the same.

“Yes he did. And I only saw him in my mind. It’s hard to describe Jaden, but when I was unconscious Banner’s spirit stood between the darkness and me. He told Hellshroud it wouldn’t win and that I was strong enough. When I woke up again, he waved to me with a smile and vanished.” Pharaoh let out an indignant meow when Zane stopped petting him. Laughing, Zane continued running his hand over the cat’s fur. “And since then, I seem to have gotten a pet cat now.”

Jaden laughed and nodded his head. “Well Pharaoh seems to really like you. And he’s never that friendly with strangers. Thanks for telling me Zane. I knew Professor Banner wasn’t a bad person, even though he did some bad stuff-” Jaden broke off with a yawn. His large eyes went a little hazy.

“Go to bed Jaden, it’s getting late.” Zane stood up and helped the Slifer to his feet. 

Patting his shoulder, he ushered Jaden to his dorm. He could see the Slifer dragging his feet, clearly coming down from an adrenaline rush. Dueling with the fate of the world on your shoulders clearly wore down the poor Slifer. He watched Jaden walk up the steps and waved before he entered his room. Zane smiled and started making his way back to the Obelisk dorm.

The wind blew against his face, and he felt lighter than he had in a long time. Cyber End Dragon’s power had been revitalized since the Sacred Beasts had been sealed. Not even a whisper of the darkness could be heard. It was an uplifting feeling, he smiled as he strode through the door of his dorm. Pharaoh meowed, and Zane shushed him.

“Let’s get back to the room and we will get you some food and sleep,” Zane whispered. 

He walked up the staircase and down the long hallway to his dorm room. Grabbing his key, he opened the door and was stunned at the sight he saw. Atticus was sound asleep on the bed, still in his dark pants, and white jacket. His brown hair was messy on the pillow his head was on. Eyes closed and mouth slightly open.

Zane sighed and placed Pharaoh on the floor. The feline went to the couch and jumped on it, circling twice before plopping down. With one large yawn, Pharaoh closed his eyes and promptly fell asleep. The teal haired duelist walked over to his bed and looked down at his boyfriend. He didn’t have the heart to wake Atticus up, so he sat on the edge of the bed to pull his shoes off, fully intending on sleeping on the couch.

However while he was bent over, an arm wrapped around his waist. He stiffened before he realized it was Atticus. Relaxing slightly he allowed Atticus to pull him back on the bed. Once Zane was lying on his side facing his boyfriend, Atticus wrapped a tight arm around his waist. Tired brown eyes open, looking at Zane.

“Where have you been? I came in looking for you and you weren’t here,” Atticus said, words slurring.

“I was out taking a walk. Ran into Jaden and he looked like he needed someone to talk.” Zane, in an uncharacteristic romantic gesture, brushed brown bangs and kissed his forehead. “Go to sleep, Atticus. You’re exhausted.”

Atticus pulled Zane even tighter against him. Closing his eyes, he rubbed his nose against Zane’s and fell asleep once again. Zane was left lying there, his face as red as the Slifer jackets in the dark. Old habits die hard, he was struggling to show affection as freely as Atticus. But hopefully in time he would. Closing his eyes, he tried to fall asleep as well. Hoping for no dreams.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

With the first rays of sunlight filtering in the room, Atticus opened his eyes. He had gone to Zane’s room looking for him last night, only to find the room empty. He had planned to simply wait there for a bit, and if Zane didn’t return soon he would go look for him. However, it seemed as if all the adrenaline from the past months was catching up to him. He ended up falling asleep on the bed.

His gaze went to where Zane was still sleeping. Deep, even breaths were the only thing that told him it was a deep and desperately needed sleep. Smiling, he ran his hand over the teal hair and twisted a lock around his finger. Zane’s mouth turned down and mumbled something in his sleep before shifting. Burying his face in Atticus’s chest, Zane settled once more.

“Glad to see you getting some sleep now,” Atticus whispered with a smile on his face. 

A loud meow caught his attention and he turned his attention to where Pharaoh was making his way up the bed. A meow sounded again, this time very irritated. Atticus felt Zane shift and mutter something derogatory under his breath before opening his eyes. Teal eyes looked at him, a hint of irritation in them.

“So what’s up with Pharaoh being in your room?” Atticus asked. Said feline was making his way in between the two of them, and plopped down.

“Apparently I now have a pet cat,” Zane muttered. He sat up and grabbed Pharaoh, looking at him. “You don’t need to keep talking, I heard you the first time. Let’s go find Ms. Dorothy and see if she can whip some breakfast up for you.”

“Well, let’s see if we can get some breakfast and actually eat this time,” Atticus said with a laugh. He sat up too, and reached over to scratch Pharaoh behind the ears.

“Did you bring a change of clothes in here or are you going back to your room?” Zane asked as he stood up. Stripping off his now wrinkled jacket. He looked at Atticus with raised eyebrows. “Well, are you going to just stare at me or get changed?”

“I could do both,” Atticus said on a laugh. His eyes widened as a pillow nearly made contact with his face. “Hey, watch the face. It could be my money maker.”

“Keep telling yourself that Bucky,” Zane replied with a shrug and smirk. “So you thinking of going into show business like you always wanted?”

“It’s on my mind. I haven’t completely decided what I want to do,” Atticus said. His eyes turned serious as he looked at Zane carefully. He stood up and stretched his arms over his head.

“Well do what’s right for you. That’s what you told me.” Zane turned around and walked to his closet, grabbing his clean jacket, shirt and pants. “Well I’m going to shower and you can either get changed and I’ll meet you at the Card Cafe or you can wait here.” With that, Zane walked into the small bathroom in the room.

Atticus laughed and walked over to the desk and chair where he had put his clothes for today. He knew it would be a long day in the library. They all had exams coming up, and Atticus wanted to make sure he got top. There was a certain duelist he wanted the pleasure of taking on before he left the school. Quickly changing his clothes, he put the clothes he wore all day yesterday in the bag and slung it over his shoulder. Sitting back down the bed, he waited for Zane to come out.

15 minutes later, Zane walked out of the bathroom, hair still damp. He had put his dark blue pants on. He had a towel resting on his shoulders as he walked to a basket and dumped his dirty clothes in. Looking where Atticus was sitting, he rolled his eyes.

“You know you could have gone on ahead?” he asked as he pulled the towel and put it on his head.

Atticus laughed and stood up, walking over he took the towel and dried Zane’s hair himself. “I know, but I figured we would just go together. We can stop by, grab some food and head straight to the library. It’s going to be a long day in there.”

“Yeah, I have a lot to catch up on if I’m going to be ready.” Zane’s tone was unsure. 

A first for Atticus, as he only knew Zane to sound confident. He stopped rubbing the towel and lifted it off Zane’s head. “You alright?”

Zane blinked and nodded his head. “Yeah, just thinking. Anyway, I want to get studying, so let's go.” Zane moved aside and grabbed his shirt. Pulling it over his head, he then put his jacket on. Adjusting the cuffs to where he liked, he looked at Atticus and smiled. “Come on.”

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Walking in the library the two elite students found a table near the window. Opening their books, they started reading and making notes in the margins. During the time, Pharaoh had wandered in and climbed on Zane’s lap. Curling up, the round cat promptly fell asleep again. Pharaoh was a known fixture in the school, and was allowed pretty much everywhere.

“Pop quiz, why is there an age limit on when someone can go pro?” Atticus said suddenly. He was looking at the Duel Legalities text book in front of him.

“To prevent any minors from entering without the approval of their guardians. Very few people are in the professional league that aren’t 18.” Zane raised his eyes to Atticus. “Why the sudden pop quiz?”

“Just keeping you on your toes. Part two of the question, are there exceptions?” Atticus grinned, thinking he had him.

“Yes there are exceptions. Most notably a kid by the name Aster Phoenix. He’s under 18, but well known on the circuit.” Zane shrugged his shoulders as Atticus looked at him wide eyed. “Well that’s what that talk show host was talking about one night.”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Atticus exclaimed and threw his hands out in a ‘time out’ position. “You watched a talk show host? When? Why?”

“When I couldn’t sleep because of the nightmares. So I decided to just watch whatever was on television. This guy was interviewing someone who looked way too young to be a professional duelist. He said his name was Aster Phoenix and talked about his career. I was interested and watched it,” Zane said simply. He turned his eyes back to the guide in front of him.

“Not fair, I thought I could stump you,” Atticus whined. 

He remembered he was never able to stump Zane, nor Yusuke. Both had minds made of steel traps. They retained even the smallest bits of information. Staring at his boyfriend, Atticus thought back to when the three of them were here two years ago studying.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus slammed his head on the desk in front of him. His brain felt like it was bleeding from all the information he was trying to retain. They had midterm exams in a week and he wanted to keep his status as one of the top Elites. Raising his gaze he looked across from him and saw Yusuke engrossed in the book he was reading. His violet eyes were wide and delight dancing in their depths. Looking to the right, he saw his boyfriend Zane. Teal eyes were bouncing from the textbook in front of him to the notebook on the side.

“How do you two do this?” he complained.

Yusuke raised his gaze in confusion. “What do you mean Atticus?”

Zane stopped writing and looked at him with the same confusion. He had stopped writing and gave his friends his full attention.

“How do you two keep all this stuff straight? You two have impeccable notes, and rarely look at them after. How can humans like you two keep all this crap straight?” Atticus reiterated.

Yusuke laughed slightly and brought a hand up to his mouth, coughing in it to cover the laugh. His eyes danced with laughter after he stopped physically laughing. Atticus glared at him and looked to Zane. His boyfriend was doing the same, though clearly trying to hide it better.

“It just takes time to figure out what kind of studying works for you,” Zane tried to explain.

“Zane’s right, just read and make notes on things you really want to remember. It’s what I do when I make notes,” Yusuke tried to say. His gaze turned earnest and it was clear he was hoping to help.

“Yusuke, let’s be honest… I have NEVER seen you take notes. You have some kind of photographic memory. Zane and I are good… but you are a higher level,” Atticus said and blew out a breath that shifted his bangs.

Yusuke went unnaturally still at the comment. His violet gaze wide and a little fearful. Atticus looked at him in concern. Zane reached out and tapped Yusuke’s hand lightly before looking back at his notes. The hand under the table, squeezed Atticus’s leg, warning him not to say anything more.

After a moment, Yusuke seemed to get himself together and looked back to his notes. Atticus looked between them, wondering how Zane knew how to settle Yusuke’s nerves. Shrugging his shoulders, he shifted and put his head in Zane’s lap. Smiling up at his boyfriend, he saw wide teal eyes staring down at him.

“Well, nap time!” Atticus declared and closed his eyes with a smile. 

While he drifted, he could hear Zane and Yusuke discussing their Duel Alchemy class. Yusuke would bring up something he read, and Zane would counter it. Their discussion went round and round while Atticus let himself drift. Not caring that he should be studying, he was enjoying that his tactile nature allowed him to lay against Zane without anyone raising eyebrows to anyone around.

“Just to let you know Zane, whatever you and Atticus have… I’m happy for you both. You two are the closest thing to family I have. I want you both happy, and I hope to see it soon,” Yusuke said quietly.

Atticus felt Zane stiffen, but didn’t tell Atticus to get up. He figured it was as close to a verbal confirmation as he would get at the time. And he was alright with it, clearly Yusuke was supportive. Hopefully Zane would be willing to come out soon.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Blinking his vision clear, he realized he had spaced out for awhile. Looking around the room, he saw everyone from their group at different tables now. Glancing around the room he noted where everyone was.

Alexis, Chazz and Bastion were all at a table. Papers being passed between them, Chazz leaning over to Alexis and pointing at something in a book. Alexis looked at it and nodded her head. Bastion looked at Chazz’s notes in the margins and handed them back. Clearly they were all studying together and it warmed his heart. His gaze drifted to the next table.

The trio of Slifers were at the table behind where the other three were. Syrus had his head buried in his book. Glasses sliding down his nose, before he pushed them back up. Chumley had sweat rolling down his face as he tried to make sense of whatever was in front of him. Finally poor Jaden looked as if he already failed. His face was pale and eyes wide. Suddenly his head slammed on the table, the action had Atticus wincing in sympathy. After all he did that before too.

“This can’t be! I mean we all just saved the world! Can’t they just pass us for that?” Jaden demanded. He raised his gaze and looked at everyone.

Zane looked over and smirked. His free hand still stroked Pharaoh’s fur. “Well Jaden, if you saved the world, then exams should be no problem for you.”

“Easy for you to say Zane! Half of this stuff doesn’t make sense. My life is so over!” Jaden yelled back dramatically.

“You’re alright Jaden. You can do this,” Syrus said. Without looking up from his study book, he rubbed Jaden’s back.

“No way…” Jaden trailed off and a strange look came into his gaze. Jumping up, he clenched a fist. “I got it! I know who the real villain is. Exams are the real villain, not old man Kagemaru,” Jaden declared.

Zane let out a bark of laughter that had everyone freezing in shock. Atticus knew Zane’s laughter was rare and to have it this loud was never heard of. Wide eyes looked at the laughing Obelisk, before the rest started laughing along with him. Jaden pouted and sank back into his seat. Crossing his arms, he blew out a loud breath.

“Jaden, you are a breath of fresh air. I am so glad to get to know you,” Zane said and his eyes danced with laughter.

“Need some help, Atticus and I can help you,” Zane offered with a point to his own books.

Jaden’s eyes lit up and he rushed over. Dragging a chair, he sat down as Zane tried to explain what he could and answer the Slifer’s questions. Jaden nodded his head occasionally and pointed at something else. Atticus watched and smiled, relief flooding through him. Zane was a natural instructor and was clearly helping Jaden. This would be good for him, and that’s all he wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well my first week at my new job is done! And I love it! But anyway, this was a little short interlude. Finals really are the ultimate villain of the world. My brain always felt fried studying and after the exam itself. I wanted Zane to make sure Jaden knew Banner helped him. It will come into play later. What do you think of Pharaoh following Zane around? I had this headcanon since the start of my book. LOL. Also question, would anyone like a 'prequel' of sorts? Giving background before Zane went missing? I have some ideas jotted down, and was wondering if anyone would be interested in reading it. Let me know. As always, thoughts and predictions welcome. Stay safe and healthy everyone.


	40. Third Times the Charm

CHAPTER FORTY: THIRD TIMES THE CHARM

The trio of Slifers were currently in their dorm room. After the all day study session yesterday, where Jaden received private tutoring from Atticus and Zane. The brunette Slfier was still unsure of how the exam would go, but he was feeling slightly more confident. Currently he and Syrus were engaged in a practice duel, and Jaden was losing horribly.

The two of them sat in chairs, sitting across from one another. They were dueling using their Duel Links, their screens had a simulation duel field. Monsters in attack and defense positions, spell and trap cards being played. And Jaden made yet another misstep playing Clayman.

“Ahh! I’m never going to pass the promotion exam. I have serious test anxiety!” Jaden cried out. He was so nervous he was making studpid mistakes.

Syrus cackled and the light glinted off his round glasses. He looked like an evil mastermind, and Jaden felt shudders run through his body at the sight. Unfortunately he had firsthand experience with Syrus’s evil mind.

“Watch this! I’m going to use Drillroid to take out your Clayman!” Syrus exclaimed in glee.

Jaden’s brown eyes bugged out of his sockets. He quickly tried to click on different cards hoping for a miracle that wasn’t coming. “W-Wait a second!”

“And now that you’re wide open I can attack you directly.” Syrus cheered and raised his hands in the air in victory. “I win!”

“I lost…” Jaden mumbled and slumped over in his chair. “Argh, I gotta learn to stay calm during these tests.”

“You should chill out, like Chumley,” Syrus said.

Both friends looked at their final roommate and friend. He was facing the wall away from them, sleeping. He barely even flinched during the loud exclamations the two of them gave. Their gazes looked at him with worry.

“Sy, isn’t he like… a bit too chill?” Jaden questioned.

“I think so. But, he’s probably just really tired, he was up all night studying. He’s really working hard on this,” Syrus responded.

“All night?” Jaden repeated. “That sounds like a lot of studying… especially for Chumley.”

“Shhh,” Syrus harshly whispered. “Chumley already failed his exams twice. If he doesn’t pass it this time, he runs the risk of being expelled.”

However, neither of the Slifers noticed Chumley was actually wide awake. His dark eyes were staring blankly at the wall in front of him. He could feel his heart racing as panic was starting to set in once again. He really was trying to apply himself this time, he even was able to ask the two Elites for help.

Both Atticus and Zane answered what questions they could. Neither seemed to be annoyed with him asking, but maybe that was because it also helped Syrus and Jaden. Who knows? But he got information he needed, but it still didn’t feel as if it was enough.

“Any with my grades and dueling skills, that’s exactly what’s going to happen,” Chumley thought in despair. He closed his eyes tightly and tried to get some sleep, he really had been up all night studying.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Zane was walking the halls of the academy. It was a morning off for Seniors to study for the upcoming exam. Deciding he needed a small break, he made the decision to go speak with Chancellor Sheppard about some personal things. He had left Atticus in the room, looking over his deck and giving the fluffy cat the attention he wanted.

Stopping in front of the metal door, Zane took a breath and knocked slightly. Waiting for the command to enter, he did. The door slid open and closed as the Obelisk duelist walked up to the large desk. Sheppard looked up with shock on his face, but he concealed it with a smile.

“What can I do for you Truesdale?” he asked and stood up.

Zane stood ramrod straight in front of his old mentor. Arms at his side, he looked at Sheppard. The Chancellor decided he didn’t like the stifling feeling of them standing up. So he sat down in his chair and motioned for Zane to do the same. Said teen did as he instructed and felt his shoulders slump.

“I have some questions,” Zane said quietly. His mind went to what Kagemaru revealed, and while it was clear Sheppard didn’t do anything knowingly, he still wanted some closure.

“Ask me anything. You know you can always speak your mind to me. I wish you would do it more,” Sheppard implored.

Taking a breath, Zane decided to just say what was on his mind. “Did you know about what Kagemaru planned?”

Sheppard paled and swallowed loudly. “No, I never knew. Had I known, I would have done everything in my power to stop it. When you were missing, I was sick with worry. And to have Kagemaru reveal what he did… I was sickened to think that I was essentially an accomplice.”

Zane stared at Sheppard intently, gaze never wavering. Sheppard made sure to keep his gaze level, to let his old student see he was telling the truth and was earnest. They stared in silence, before Zane took a breath and nodded his head.

“Alright… alright, I just wanted to know. I couldn’t believe you of all people would help that madman. But the questions in my mind were driving me insane,” Zane whispered.

“Truesdale, I would never allow someone to harm anyone… let alone students that I am supposed to protect here. And the fact that you endured all of that for two years makes me sick to think about. I know Rhodes had been anxiously waiting for any leads to be found. When I walked in the room to find him holding your hand-” Sheppard broke off, eyes going wide with what he revealed.

Zane was still as a statue, face pale and eyes wide. His teal eyes wide and mouth pressed in a thin line. “He… you… what?”

Sheppard coughed into his hand. “Well, this wasn’t supposed to come out. That day you collapsed from your migraines and were given medication to help with it. You were sleeping in the infirmary, and I walked in to check on you. He was sitting by your bed, holding your hand so tightly. I put two and two together, and he made me promise not to say anything until you were ready to talk.”

“So since then… you knew that he and I…” Zane trailed off. For the first time in his life, he was at a loss for words.

“I’ve had a feeling since I saw you two first together. I saw him hug you, and you just stood there allowing it. You are very particular about who you allow to touch you. I remember that from our days at the Cyber School. Then to see how he reacted to your vanishing, it added more evidence that you two were something more than friends.” Sheppard gave a small, conforming smile. “So when I saw him holding your hand, the look of love in his eyes when he didn’t know I was there… that was all I needed to confirm it. And given how protective he is over you and how happy he makes you, well that’s all I can ask for.”

Slowly, the stiffness seemed to melt out of Zane’s posture. Blinking his eyes slowly, Zane looked out the window for a moment. Sheppard knew his former student would do this when he needed time to collect his thoughts. So he just sat there, waiting for Zane to speak again.

“You don’t care?” Zane finally asked. His voice sounded unsure, as this was something he wasn’t familiar with.

“Truesdale… Zane, I have one simple question. Are you happy?” Sheppard asked the most important question. He even used Zane’s first name to drive home the seriousness of the conversation.

“Yes,” Zane answered without hesitation. Syrus had asked the same question.

“Then, I have no issues. Atticus clearly cares about you, he even went so far as to bite my head off when he felt I wasn’t doing enough. Anyone willing to push to find you the way did, and who makes you happy is golden for me.” Sheppard smiled gently, his eyes crinkling with pleasure.

“Thank you master,” Zane said quietly. He gave Sheppard a small smile of his own, one that spoke volumes.

“Anything else I can do for you?”

“No, I just needed that closure. Like I said, the question was driving me insane. I couldn’t picture you helping him, but I needed to ask.”

“Well then do you mind answering some questions of mine?” Sheppard asked. Zane nodded his head, looking at the Chancellor in confusion. “How is the shield holding up? And why didn’t you tell me what you were going through?”

Zane froze again, not comfortable talking about the second question. “The shield is holding strong, Cyber End is keeping the voice at bay. With the Sacred Beasts sealed once again, and all the gates locked, it's stronger.” Zane fell silent after he answered the first question.

“I asked a second question, Truesdale. Why did you not tell me about the voice you were hearing? I could have helped,” Sheppard pressed.

“I thought I could deal with it. As long as the entity is focused on me, then it can’t hurt anyone else,” Zane whispered. He pulled out his deck and showed two cards to Sheppard. Cyber End Dragon and the sealed card that contained Hellshroud. “Cyber End Dragon is keeping it from inflicting anymore pain and it can’t reach my mind.” Zane blew out a breath and put the deck back before looking to Sheppard again. “Syrus and Atticus keep telling me I don’t need to do this alone. But I don’t want anyone else sucked in by this thing.”

“Well maybe the third time’s the charm for you to understand. Stop shouldering this alone, and lean on us. Hopefully with you sticking around, I can keep a close eye on you. Make sure you aren’t over doing it,” Sheppard joked.

A knocking at the door interrupted them. Both mentor and student looked to one another and then back to the door. Sheppard gave the command to enter and in walked Atticus with a round fur ball at his feet. The brunette Obelisk walked over to where Zane was sitting and leaned his arm over the back of the chair. Pharaoh padded up and jumped onto Zane’s lap. Meowing loudly for attention, and purring when he got what he wanted.

“Everything alright?” Atticus asked and looked between the two.

“Yeah, just had some questions for Chancellor Sheppard. And he mentioned something interesting…” Zane trailed off ominously.

Atticus froze and shot Sheppard a look. The Chancellor smiled guiltily and shrugged his broad shoulders. Running a hand over his shaved head, the older man let out a laugh. Atticus looked to Zane and tried to look apologetic.

“In my defense, it’s not like I told him. He just happened to see it…” Atticus trailed off when Zane let out a small laugh. “You’re screwing with me.”

“Just giving you a hard time. I had planned on talking to Sheppard about it, it appears he just realized sooner,” Zane explained. Standing up with the cat in his arms again, Zane nodded respectfully to Sheppard and nudged Atticus. “Well, let’s get going. We have class this afternoon.”

Atticus looked shocked between his boyfriend and the school Chancellor. Smiling, he put his arm around Zane’s shoulders and they walked out. Zane was starting to become comfortable with Atticus clinging to him. Hardly anyone looked their way, thinking it was just how Atticus is. He was always gripping Zane’s arm, throwing his arm around Yusuke’s shoulders. He’s a tactile person and people just accepted it.

The two Elite duelists walked to the dorm, and put Pharaoh back on the couch. Leaving a little food and water in the room, Zane grabbed his books and the two made their way to their class. The school year was winding down and everyone was gearing up for finals.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

It was an easy class for the Slifers in the afternoon, it was art class. Everyone was enjoying the break from cramming. The instructor at the front of the class was painting on his own easel and letting the class do what they wanted. The assignment was to paint their favorite duel monster, or favorite memory.

Excited chatter rang out through the class. Pencils starting the sketch and and paint brushes moving over the paper to give color to the creations. Syrus was eagerly painting his all time favorite duel monster, the beautiful Dark Magician Girl. He grinned as he looked at it. He was absurdly proud of himself.

“Hey Jaden, look at this. How does it look?” Syrus held up the image he painted.

Jaden didn’t even look up as he continued painting his own paper. “Not bad, but check out mine!” Jaden brushed some more red paint across the page. “It’s brilliant, it’s a work of genius… it’s Sparkman! See?” Jaden grinned and held his up as well.

“Uh… yeah if you say so,” Syrus said uncomfortably. It looked like a demented version of Sparkman.

“So what did you do, Chumsters?” Jaden asked grinning.

Chumley was seated behind them and had been quiet the entire class. Everyone knew he was the best artist in the class. He looked sheepishly at them and then back down to the paper in front of him. He blinked at them and smiled.

“Well… um…” he trailed off.

Jaden and Syrus stood up and looked at the paper. Both went wide eyed and smiles split their faces. Neither could believe the beauty of the Australian landscape Chumley had painted on the paper in front of him.

“Wow, that’s amazing. I still can’t believe how awesome you are!” Syrus exclaimed.

“So good Chum. So what is it?” Jaden asked.

Syrus facepalmed and let out an exasperated groan. “What is it?! You’ve never seen Ayers Rock?”

“Well… I ah… no?” Jaden stammered out. Eyes wide as he looked at Syrus.

“You see a long time ago, I went camping with my dad there. I fell in love with the beauty,” Chumley said as he lifted the paper.

Everyone had crowded around and looked at what the commotion was. A few Slifers, a couple Ras and even an Obelisk Blue female. Eyes were wide and they all grinned at one another. Compliments flowed around them, all saying how amazing the artwork was Chumley had done.

Suddenly the announcement system chimed on. Everyone looked toward the speaker waiting for the announcement. Everyone cringed at the loud coughing sound, coming from the speaker. It was clearly Dr. Crowler’s voice.

“Attention please, would Chumley Huffington please come to Chancellor Sheppard’s office? Chumley Huffington please report to Chancellor Sheppard’s office.” The system clicked off then.

Chumley stood up and walked out. Everyone stood and stared at him as the Slifer walked out of the room. The instructor called for order and told the class to continue working on their assignment. Jaden and Syrus exchanged worried looks, it was never a good thing to be called to Chancellor Sheppard’s office. Sighing, the two friends sat down and continued working on their paintings.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Chumley walked to Chancellor Sheppard’s office, unease settling in his gut. He was wracking his brain trying to figure out why Dr. Crowler and Chancellor Sheppard wanted to speak with him. He reached the door within a matter of minutes and he stood nervously outside. Gulping, he knocked on the door.

“Enter,” Chancellor Sheppard’s voice boomed.

Chumley walked in and saw Sheppard sitting at his desk. Dr. Crowler was standing off to the side, his face pulled in distaste. Sucking in a breath, he walked and stopped in front of the desk. He looked between the two older men and raised his eyebrows.

“So… am I like, busted?” Chumley stammered out.

Sheppard’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. He looked to Dr. Crowler before chuckling. “I’ve called you here, because I have some very good news for you.”

“You do?”

Sheppard rose and extended his hand, a duel card in it. He waited until Chumley took it before smiling. “Look at it.”

Chumley turned it over and his eyes widened. “It’s my card? !” On the card was his picture of Ayers Rock.

“Congratulations, your design won the Industrial Illusions contest. Your card is now an official duel monster design,” Sheppard said with a large smile.

“Huh? But who picked it?” Chumley questioned.

“I did,” a voice rang out from the monitor. Chumley looked to the side where it was lit up and his jaw dropped open. It was none other than Maximillion Pegasus. “Chumley-Boy, there were so many cards and so little time to decide.”

Pegasus in his usual fashion waved his hands around for dramatic effect. His long silver hair shifted with each movement. His one visible eye was gleaming, and a smile was on his face. His signature red suit was a bright contrast to the gray wall behind him.

“Your card… it was a card from the heavens. It was designed by an angle named Chumley,” Pegasus continued. Chumley felt his cheeks warm with the praise. “And there’s more, I want to offer you a job working for me. You would be my right hand man, my main card designer. If your administration agrees. See you soon, Chumley-Boy.” The screen went blank.

The three people in the room were all stunned into silence. Sheppard was the first to break it, he was beaming at Chumley. He couldn’t be more proud even if he wanted to.

“Chumley! What an opportunity, of course you have my recommendation,” Sheppard exclaimed and leaned forward.

“He wants me?” Chumley said quietly. A smile creeping across his face.

“A moment,” Crowler interrupted the moment. His face was drawn in a deep frown.

“Oh what now Crowler? Just say yes, he’s earned this!” Sheppard exclaimed. He narrowed his eyes at the teacher.

“Oh I have no qualms about Chumley’s artistic ability. I have a concern about the fact that he never met the academic and dueling standards. So I pose this… if he can beat me in one single duel, then he will have my recommendation. That is my stipulation,” Crowler stated. He crossed his arms and stared at Chumley.

“Well then Chumley, if you can beat Crowler once, you will be going to work at Industrial Illusions. I wish you the best of luck, and the duel will take place tomorrow.”

Chumley met Crowler’s cold eyes and nodded his head. He turned and walked out of the office, head down in slight defeat. He wanted this, and it all rode on a single duel against Dr. Crowler. When the door slid open, he walked out and saw Jaden and Syrus.

“So what happened?” Jaden demanded. He looked down and saw what Chumley was holding. “Hey, they made your card! That is so cool!”

“Chumley, aw man. Don’t you know how awesome this is?” Syrus said. He smiled at his friend and moved to get a look at the card as well.

“But… umm…” Chumley trailed off, unsure how to talk about it.

“But what? You should be ecstatic!” Jaden gripped Chumley’s arm and started pulling him. “Come on, let’s go celebrate!”

Chumley simply allowed himself to be pulled by his best friends. They made it outside and ran into Zane, Atticus and Alexis outside. Chazz was walking up to them and got there just before the trio, standing next to Alexis. When they made it, Atticus smiled and was leaning against Zane’s side. Clearly not in the least bit concerned with PDA.

“Hey guys. So Chumley what did Chancellor Sheppard want?” Atticus asked.

“You won’t believe it!” Jaden said excitedly. His eyes glowed and he motioned for Chumley to explain.

“My… uh my card won Industrial Illusions contest. And Pegasus selected it personally.” Chumley showed them all the card. Everyone smiled and congratulated him. “And there’s more.”

“Well don’t keep us in suspense,” Chazz said. His usual gruff tone, softening in the slightest. Clearly trying to hide how happy he was.

“Well, Pegasus offered me a job at Industrial Illusions. He wants me to make cards for him,” Chumley said finally.

Everyone was dead silent. Shocked faces were staring at their friend. Finally Atticus was the first one to break the silence. He laughed and moved closer, giving Chumley a one-armed hug. Pulling back, he looked at the card and back to Chumley.

“Dude, that is awesome! We are celebrating tonight. All of you are coming to the Obelisk Dorm and dinner is on us tonight!” Atticus exclaimed.

Chumley looked at the King of Duel Academy. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would be friends with him. His dark eyes went to where Zane stood, arms crossed and a small smile on his face. He was the Kaiser, the ruthless one, or that’s what everyone thought, and he was smiling at Chumley.

“Congratulations, Chumley. You earned this. I remember your artwork our first year and it was outstanding,” Zane complimented.

“Thanks everyone. Yeah, let’s get some food,” Chumley said with a smile.

The group met Bastion halfway and he eagerly accepted the invitation, along with a congratulations to Chumley. The group of eight friends all sat around a large table in the Obelisk Blue dorm. Chumley looked at his new friends. Atticus ‘King’ Rhodes, Zane ‘Kaiser’ Truesdale, Chazz Princeton, Alexis Rhodes were all people he knew before this year. And they all seemed so far out of his league. Then this year he met Jaden Yuki and Syrus Truesdale, they became his best friends and roommates. Finally Bastion Misawa, a Ra Yellow who didn’t look down on his being a Slifer.

Tears started to flow down his cheeks as Atticus ordered a large chocolate cake for Chumley. He had friends here, made a family of his own and he didn’t want to leave these people. They all looked at one another and back to Chumley concerned.

“You all are the best friends a guy could ask for,” Chumley finally said. He raised his watery eyes and looked at them all, smiling.

“Chumley, you are going to do great things. And we can’t wait to see and get your new cards,” Alexis said. She leaned across the table and patted Chumley’s hand, a serene smile on her face.

“Thanks, you guys,” Chumley responded. He looked at the large cake in front of him and dug in.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

It was the middle of the night when Jaden woke up to the silence in the room. He was used to Chumley’s loud snoring, so this was disconcerting. Rubbing his tired eyes, he climbed out of his bunk and looked up and saw Syrus sleeping soundly. Seeing the round glasses on his friend’s face, Jaden reached out and took them off.

Walking over, he put them on the desk and looked back to the beds. Syrus had rolled over and pulled his blanket up higher. Raising his gaze, Jaden noticed that Chumley’s bunk was empty. He was concerned and walked quietly to the door and opened it. He felt the wind hit his face and walking fully out he stood on the wrap around ledge. Spotting his other friend sitting by the cliff’s edge, he walked over.

“Hey Chum, what’s wrong?” Jaden asked as he sat down next to his friend.

Chumley jumped as if he were electrocuted. He looked at Jaden sheepishly and then back to the night horizon. “Jaden there’s something I need to tell you. There’s something I need to do in order to get the job.”

“Oh, what do you need to do?” Jaden pressed. He crossed his legs and leaned forward, looking intently at his friend.

“I need to beat Crowler in a duel in order to get the job. I have Chancellor Sheppard’s approval and recommendation. But Crowler said I had to beat him in a duel in order to go,” Chumley explained.

“Man, why does Crowler have to make everything so difficult?” Jaden stood up and put his hands on his hips. “Well then pal, you’re just going to have to beat him. I did, so I know you can too! Now then, let’s get started on that training.” Jaden hauled Chumley on his feet and dragged him back to the dorm.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The day of the duel rolled around, everyone sat in the arena. Syrus and Jaden sat in the second row, while Alexis sat behind them. Chazz and Bastion sat a few seats over from Alexis. Everyone looked down at the raised platform where Dr. Crowler and Chumley stood on opposite sides.

None of them noticed the two standing on the top landing. Atticus was leaning against the railing and Zane stood with his arms crossed. Both eyed the arena with narrowed gazes. Atticus was livid at what he learned, Crowler was making another student’s life difficult. Zane was more indifferent to the situation, he felt bad for Chumley but he could understand Crowler’s motives.

“Man, Crowler just likes throwing a monkey wrench in everyone’s lives,” Atticus muttered.

“Well, don’t be so hasty to judge. You never know what his intentions are,” Zane defended. When Atticus looked at him confused, Zane shrugged his shoulders. “I spoke with him. There’s more to this than you know.”

Atticus turned his attention back to the duel. Both duelists had inserted their decks and faced each other. Chumley had such an intense look, one none of them had ever seen before. Atticus hoped Chumley could pull this off.

“Let’s go Chumley! We’re with you!” Jaden cheered out.

“Yeah, we’re all with you Chumley!” Alexis chimed in. She raised her hand in a fist while she cheered.

“We are?” Chazz asked, a knee jerk reaction to denying bonds with his friends. Bastion elbowed him, causing Chazz to backpedal. “I mean, yeah we so totally are.”

Chumley looked at them and raised his gaze. He saw the two Elite duelists standing at the top. Both gave him encouraging smiles, and he nodded his head at them. He clearly planned on winning here today.

“Duel!” both duelists exclaimed.

The duel was neck and neck. Just when Chumley would seem to get a lead, Crowler would have another idea. Atticus could see Chumley’s confidence wavering, and it worried him. He wanted to help, but he knew the third year Slifer needed to do this himself.

Crowler managed to summon his best monster and Atticus stood up straight. He remembered seeing it when he dueled against Jaden and Camula. The large monster never lost it’s menacing stance. Chumley backed up and Crowler ordered the attack. However Chumley had a contingency plan, his monster had a pretty strong flip effect.

“Des Koala’s effect activates. For every card in your hand he hits you with 400 points of damage. So take that teach!” Chumley called out.

Crowler looked shocked and he took the 800 points of damage with little grace. He cringed and let out a screech that was the epitome of indignant. In fact it was perilously close to what Pharaoh sounded like when he wanted attention. It had everyone smirking.

The continued after that, and it really showed how much Chumley had grown. He was dueling with strategy and Atticus noticed that Dr. Crowler was looking at Chumley with a strange look. He had seen that look before, when Dr. Crowler would look at the three of them; Zane, Yusuke and himself. It was the closest thing to respect he had ever seen on the instructor’s face.

Eventually Dr. Crowler drew another card and smirked. It was a look that had them all freezing, it was not a good look. He looked to Chumley and let out a cackle. “I play the ultimate spell card; Ancient Gear Factory.” A large factory machine appeared behind him. It had different size stars around the center of it. “Dear Chumley, you’re about to fail… for the last time.”

Chumley gulped, but to his credit stood his ground. He refused to show the fear that was settling in his gut. He would remain strong, just like all his other friends.

“The Ancient Gear Factory, beautiful isn’t it. It allows me to summon any ancient gear card I hold. Such as my friend, The Ancient Gear Golem.” Crowler flipped the card around with a smirk.

“Not again,” Jaden muttered.

“Just what’s he trying to pull? Where’s the sacrifice? As in Golem kind of needs one,” Alexis said what everyone was thinking.

“Not quite,” Chancellor Sheppard’s voice startled them all. They all froze and looked to the left and saw him sitting on the edge of his seat. Eyes riveted to the duel.

“Chancellor Sheppard?” Alexis asked.

“You’re here?” Jaden followed up.

“Why not? I just love a good duel. And when I saw Truesdale and Rhodes making their way here, I knew I needed to come,” he responded. 

“Wait, my brother’s here?” Syrus and Alexis said at the same time. 

They met eyes and looked around the room. Finally they saw both of them standing on the top. Atticus looked down and waved his hand. Zane simply nodded his head. They both then turned their attention back to Crowler and Chumley.

“Chancellor Sheppard is correct, I don’t need to sacrifice any monsters. As long as the levels of the monsters in my graveyard are double the level of the monster I plan on summoning. Those fallen monsters become my sacrifice,” Crowler revealed gleefully.

Everyone went wide eyed as the heavy machinery behind Crowler began to light up. The stars scattered around the center lit up with the levels of the destroyed monsters. Everyone held their breath, waiting to see if Crowler truly had enough. When the final star lit up, Chumley narrowed his eyes.

“So please, let's all welcome back the Ancient Gear Golem!” Crowler announced theatrically. The machine opened in the center and out rose Crowler’s best monster. It stood tall behind its master and was just as intimidating as ever.

“What a move!” Jaden exclaimed, eye bright. When everyone just stared at him, he shrank back in his seat. “I mean… you know… I guess.”

“Just who’s side are you on Jay?” Syrus demanded. Reaching out he slapped his brunette friend on the shoulder.

The duel continued and Chumley was clinging on. No one wanted to count him out, but truth be told, it was not looking good. Chazz sighed and shook his head sadly, but before he could make a comment, Bastion elbowed him again. It was clear the Ra Yellow was making it his job to keep Chazz from saying something he shouldn’t.

“Chumley, don’t give up! Remember what I said last night?” Jaden called out.

“Which was what?” Sheppard asked. He looked at the brunette Slifer.

Jaden stood up and raised his fist in the air. “That your friends are with you!”

Chumley looked over and saw everyone cheering for him. Even Chancellor Sheppard and the two Elites standing on the top row. They all were standing here for him, cheering him on. And a revelation came to him, Dr. Crowler saw the moment Chumley realized what he had been waiting for. That when you had people with you, you couldn’t lose.

Clearly, it was time to end the duel. And end the duel is what Dr. Crowler did, he activated his Limiter Removal card. Once his Golem’s attack points were doubled, he ordered the attack. As the large fist connected, Chumley’s lifepoints hit zero. Wide eyes stared blankly at Dr. Crowler, and he sank to his knees.

Claps rang out around the room and Chumley looked over and everyone was on their feet clapping. Jaden was smiling at him and gave him a thumbs up. Chumley’s eyes moved to the top tier and saw both Obelisks clapping and smiling down at him. Zane nodded his head, and tilted it toward Crowler. Said instructor was walking up to him. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

“STOP that crying this instant!” Crowler demanded. He stood in front of Chumley and looked at him with a serious expression. “It’s true, you have lost this duel. However losing doesn’t always mean failing.”

All but one person in the room was shocked. Chumley looked at Crowler with watery eyes and tears still going down his cheeks. People were leaning forward, eager to hear what Crowler was going to say.

“I’m confused,” he finally muttered.

“You see, the duel was not about winning or losing. But to prove your ability and growth.” Chumley looked at him with hopeful eyes. “For the talent you showed here today, how could I ever fail you? I of course will recommend you for the position at Industrial Illusions. Congratulations on your graduation. Third time was truly the charm.” Crowler extended a hand to shake Chumley’s, a small smile on his face.

Chumley accepted the handshake. Crowler grasped the larger hand and shook it with a proud look on his face. Atticus looked down at the scene with narrowed eyes, and he turned said gaze to his boyfriend standing next to him.

“You knew this was coming, didn’t you?” Atticus accused with a laugh.

“I told you, not to be so hasty to judge. Crowler may be eccentric, but he does care.” Zane smirked at Atticus and uncrossed his arms. “Even if it’s deep, deep, deep down.”

Later that afternoon, after seeing Chumley off to his dream job, Zane walked to Crowler’s office. With a brisk knock he entered the room. Crowler was at his desk filling out more papers and he raised his gaze to look at his favorite student.

“Ah, Zane, what can I do for you?” he asked. Pushing the papers aside, he gave his favorite student his full attention. He motioned for Zane to take the seat and the teen did just that.

“You sure put on a show today. You actually had everyone convinced that you were going to kick Chumley out of the school. But you planned all along to allow him to go to Industrial Illusions,” Zane said. His gaze never left the instructor’s.

Crowler simply grinned. “Well, that is why you are the only one I allowed to be my student teacher. You see what others can’t.” Crowler turned to look out the window and then back at Zane. “I have always adored Chumley’s artwork. He just needed the push to realize his potential, and I wasn’t going to let him go without it.”

Zane shook his head and smiled at the professor before him. There was a reason Zane liked him, even though he had a hard time stating it, Crowler cared. It reminded him of how he was with his brother. Except now, he has the chance to make things right. A chance to really show Syrus he cared, and he planned to do just that.

“Well, I’m glad I can see this side of you Dr. Crowler,” Zane said quietly.

Crowler nodded his head and both males turned their attention to the sun setting over the ocean. Sitting in a comfortable silence with one another, they watched the waves on the water. Both thinking and silently wishing Chumley the best in his new endeavor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since the last chapter was so short, I decided to do a day earlier of an update. LOL. This chapter had a lot going on in it, it was supposed to. I got to show how Crowler isn't such a bad guy, at least in my story. He does care, and this episode in the anime was proof of that. He had planned to let Chumley go to Industrial Illusions, he just needed to prove he really wanted it. Zane finally spoke with Sheppard, and put the questions to rest. We are nearing the end of this book, and I will start doing the Season 2 book. That one is going to be a little harder for me because Season 1 was in my top favorite anime seasons. But I have ideas for it, and I want to share. As always, thoughts and predictions welcome. Everyone stay safe and healthy.


	41. Time for Explanations

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: TIME FOR EXPLANATIONS

It was the night before promotion exams and the senior final. Both Elite Obelisk duelists were sitting in Zane’s dorm room on the couch with the television on. Their minds felt fried from the amount of studying they had been doing. Currently they both were in the academy issue sweats, cuddled on the couch. Atticus had pulled Zane against his side and they were watching a professional match.

Zane felt himself drifting, with Atticus rubbing his back and playing with his hair, he felt boneless. Clearly Atticus remembered how to relax him, and was doing just that. His eyes were half lidded and he tried to focus on the match he was seeing. It was interesting. Both duelists seemed to be on a similar level.

“Go to sleep babe,” Atticus whispered. He leaned over and kissed Zane’s temple.

“I want to finish watching this,” Zane muttered back. However, his eyes were sliding closed. Shifting, he leaned into the touch and his head was on Atticus’s chest.

“Yeah, sure, sure. How about we record it?” Atticus offered. 

Glancing down, he could see Zane actually falling asleep now. His weight became less controlled, and his breathing evened out. Atticus knew exactly how to relax him, rubbing his back and playing with his hair were the weak points. Smirking, the brunette Obelisk leaned over and grabbed the remote. Clicking the record button, he shut off the television. Propping his feet up on the footrest, he also closed his eyes. It was going to be a long day tomorrow with their final.

Smiling, he knew it would be a flip of the coin on who was going to be the top student. But he was hoping for it. After all he wanted the pleasure of dueling someone before he left. Snuggling with his boyfriend, he let sleep claim him.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Morning rays of sunlight streamed through the windows of the room. Atticus blinked his vision clear, and noticed he was actually awake before Zane. It was such a rare occurrence, the teal haired duelist had always been an earlier riser. Smiling, he looked at the table where a little clock was and noted the time. It was only six in the morning, they had four hours before their final began. Since it was only a test, it started later and once you were done, you could leave the class.

Taking a deep breath, he shifted slightly, and managed to untangle himself. He walked to the glass door and opened it. Looking outside at the sunrise he smiled.Things were starting to right themselves, even though Yusuke was still technically missing, Atticus knew he would bring him back. He let the wind shift his hair and inhaled once more, he breathed in the smell of the ocean.

“You are actually awake before me?” Zane asked suddenly.

Atticus jumped slightly and looked to his right. Zane stood next to him, looking out over the treeline to the water as well. He had a smile on his face, and his eyes clear of any pain or headache. It really did seem that after all the gates were resealed, he wasn’t hearing Hellshroud’s voice anymore.

“Well you needed the extra sleep more than I did. We have a few hours before our final today, anything you want to do before it?” Atticus asked. He knew what he wanted to do, but he wanted to know what Zane wanted.

“How about we head to the beach for an hour or so. You can get in a morning surf to clear your head and I can enjoy some sun,” Zane offered.

Atticus beamed and hugged him. “You know me so well. All right, I’m going to head back to my room and grab my wet suit. You change and I will meet you there.”

Zane nodded his head and Atticus turned and walked out of the room. Their rooms were just a few feet from one another and he loved it. He opened his door and walked over to his closet. Grabbing his wet suit, he quickly changed. Once his suit was on, he grabbed his surfboard which was resting against the wall next to his desk.

His door opened and Zane walked in. Smirking, he noticed his boyfriend was dressed in a black shirt and dark shorts. Clearly he didn’t want to get his uniform dirty at the beach and was going with his spare clothes. The two of them began making their way to the water.

Once at their favorite spot, Atticus noticed a wave and his eyes sparkled. Zane laughed and shoved him toward it. Glancing back, Atticus noticed that Zane was making a ‘shooing’ motion, with a small smile on his face.

“Go enjoy this wave. We have a little bit of time, better make the most of it,” Zane commented.

Doing just that, Atticus ran for the water and paddled toward the good size wave. It was like he was back in his first year. He looked to the shore and saw Zane sitting there, face tilted toward the sky, eyes closed. The round fur ball that is Pharaoh suddenly appeared next to him and pawed at his thigh for attention.

Things were finally starting to right themselves. His boyfriend looked at peace for the first time in months, years even. They were both going to be graduating together, and Atticus was going to do everything he could to watch over him and look for their final friend.

Zane opened his eyes, and looked where Atticus was surfing with a smile on his face. He looked like he used to, carefree and happy. It was that brightness that initially drew Zane to him. He radiated a warmth that not many could. He wanted him happy, and this was where he was happiest.

Feeling a paw nudge his thigh, Zane sighed and ran a hand over Pharaoh’s fur. He thought cats were supposed to be independent. Yet Pharaoh demanded attention, maybe because Banner carried him everywhere, the feline became accustomed to the attention and constant pets. Glancing down, he looked at the round face gazing up at him.

“How did I end up with you? Seriously, it doesn’t make sense. I was never close with Banner and the only time I saw you was in his Duel Alchemy class,” Zane muttered.

“I want to make amends, my boy,” a voice echoed.

Zane went still as he looked around. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for him to hear things, after all he could hear duel spirits. However this voice sounded like… Banner. His eyes slid side to side as he tried to figure out where the voice came from.

“Banner?” Zane questioned, quietly. His gaze went to Atticus surfing, and the smile he had on his face.

“Yes, I am now just a spirit. I want to help right the wrongs I caused, and that includes helping you. You by far have suffered the most out of all the students. Pharaoh has always liked you, and now he can help you heal. I also will be here should you need anything,” Banner responded.

His form shimmered to Zane’s right. Even though the teal haired teen couldn’t see him, Banner smiled down at him. Pharaoh had now decided to crawl on his lap and began purring. It made a sight, one the former professor was happy to see. Zane really did look relaxed and Banner wanted to make sure it stayed that way.

“I appreciate it, but I’m still not too sure what to make of you. You put us all through hell and now you say you want to help me. You sure are a complicated person,” Zane responded. He looked down and stroked Pharaoh’s fur.

“You can say that. I really didn’t want anyone to suffer, and I hoped to prevent it. But I ended up being the cause of suffering for many,” Banner said sadly.

“There’s also a certain Slifer you hurt with your actions,” Zane said coolly. Banner flinched at the implication. “You need to make things right with him as well. Jaden looked up to you and cared. He’s my brother’s best friend and I don’t want him hurting anymore. I spoke with him, but some things need to come from YOU Banner.”

Banner nodded his head and smiled sadly. “Well, I will speak with Jaden. Unfortunately since I am inside Pharaoh, I can only go where he does. I also have a large favor to ask for.”

“YOU want to ask ME for a favor?!” Zane all but snarled out. His eyes turned hard as stone, and Banner swore they flashed.

“All I want to ask is you watch out for Jaden. He has a great burden he will be carrying, and needs someone there for him. You care about him, and you wish to watch over him anyway. All I am asking for is to keep an even closer eye on him,” Banner tried to reassure.

Blowing out a breath, Zane looked to the sky, hoping to calm down. “I will do it, simply because I had planned to anyway. I care about those first years. Syrus made good friends and I’m glad to be able to see that growth.” Zane turned his gaze to where he thought he heard Banner’s voice coming from. “Now what do you mean, you can’t go anywhere Pharaoh doesn’t?”

“Because Pharaoh essentially ate my soul, I am now inside of him. So where he goes, I go. The same can be said in reverse, where he doesn’t go, I can’t go.” Banner rocked back and forth, from heel to toe.

“So if I drop him off at the Slifer dorm, you will be able to speak with Jaden?” Zane asked. The second part of his statement seemed to click and Zane froze, a disturbed look on his face. He lifted Pharaoh up and held him at face level. “He ATE your soul?”

“Yes,” Banner responded simply to both questions.

“Alright, well their exams aren’t until this afternoon. So I will drop him off then,” Zane said with finality. He lowered the feline and shuddered. “Well I guess, that can serve as a good punishment. Being trapped inside a cat.” Zane laughed.

“Hey,” Atticus called out as he walked up. Sticking the surfboard in the sand he sat next to Zane and stroked Pharaoh’s fur. “What are you and Pharaoh talking about?”

“Well… not just Pharaoh and me,” Zane told him. He realized that he hadn’t told Atticus about Banner protecting him. “Banner’s here too.”

Atticus froze, his hand pausing the motions and his eyes hardened. He glanced around, looking for any sign of the Professor and Zane tapped his hand. Shaking his head, he decided to explain.

“Atticus, Banner saved me during Jaden’s duel with Kagemaru.” He could see Atticus about to interrupt him, and he silenced him with a look before continuing. “When Cyber End Dragon’s soul was absorbed and the shield broke, Hellshroud was raging inside my mind. Using its black flames, it wanted to inflict as much pain as it could. Somehow Banner managed to get in my mind and stood between us, keeping me from having to fight back anymore. He’s the reason, I didn’t end up possessed again.”

“He… saved you?” Atticus whispered. His eyes were wide, and clear disbelief was in their depths.

“Yes, Jaden was right. Banner’s not a wholly bad person, he has good sides to him. I can’t bring myself to fully forgive him, but he protected me and I have to acknowledge that.” Zane looked at him out of the corner of his eye. “You know that I can’t see the duel spirits, but I can hear them. I guess that now applies to Banner as well.”

“Huh… neat. So is he here right now?” Atticus asked. His tone not giving anything away.

“Yeah, at least I think he still is. Apparently he can’t go anywhere without Pharaoh.” Zane smirked, the sight slightly evil. “Pharaoh ate his soul, and now he’s stuck inside a cat.”

Atticus froze and then started laughing. “Such a good kitty. I knew I like this cat,” Atticus said and scratched Pharaoh’s ears. “Banner if you can hear me, I still despise you for what you did. But if you really did save Zane this last time… then thank you.”

Banner simply looked down at the two teens in front of him. He always had the feeling there was something between them, and he was starting to put the actual pieces together. He smiled slightly at the sight, Pharaoh was on Zane’s lap getting attention from two people. Rubbing his hands together he decided he would watch over everyone here.

“Could you tell Atticus for what it’s worth, I am sorry. I plan on doing what I can to keep everyone safe now. That includes you and anyone else who comes here,” Banner said quietly looking at Zane.

“Banner says he’s sorry for what it’s worth. He’s planning on keeping everyone safe now,” Zane relayed the message.

“Huh, well it’s the least he can do.” Atticus stood up and stretched. “Well, shall we go get ready for our final?”

“Yeah, but I want to drop Pharaoh off at the Slifer dorm. Banner needs to speak with a certain Slifer,” Zane responded. He grabbed Atticus’s extended hand and got to his feet. Pharaoh rubbed his leg, and Zane picked him up. “You want to come?”

“Sure, let’s go,” Atticus responded. He grabbed his surfboard and the two Elites walked toward the Slifer dorm.

Banner walked with them, listening to them speak. He found himself fond of both of them, he wanted to mention Yusuke, but he remembered Zane’s pain during their duel. He had promised to not harm him anymore and protect him. He would find a way to ask at another time. Now, he had to collect his thoughts on what he would say to Jaden.

Zane and Atticus walked up the steps to room 2A where Jaden and Syrus were at. With Chumley gone, they were alone in the dorm. Knocking on the door, they waited until it opened. Jaden looked surprised to see them both and he looked at them with wide eyes.

“Hey, what are you guys doing here?” he asked. He was dressed in his light colored pants and dark shirt. His Slifer Red jacket was resting on his shoulders.

Zane simply thrust Pharaoh at Jaden and the Slifer took him unsure. “Watch Pharaoh for me, while Atticus and I take the final. Someone wants to speak with you anyway.”

With that, both Obelisks waved and walked down the steps and toward their dorm. Jaden simply stared after them in confusion. He looked at Pharaoh and wondered why all of a sudden Zane needed someone to watch Pharaoh. Shrugging his shoulders, he moved back and kicked the door shut.

Glancing around the room, he felt lonely. With Chumley officially graduated and in a new career, and Syrus at the cafe getting them both food, Jaden was alone in the room. He didn’t know why this made him hurt to think about, he was alone so much anyway.

“Jaden,” Banner’s voice echoed.

Flinching, he looked around the room looking for the professor. He saw him sitting on the top bunk, long legs dangling off the side. He gave the brunette Slifer a small, unsure smile. Waving a thin hand, he patted the spot next to him. Jaden put Pharaoh down and eagerly climbed up to the top bunk.

“You’re here! I can see you!” Jaden exclaimed.

“Yes, I wanted to apologize to you as well. I never wanted to hurt anyone and I ended up hurting you so much. You were my favorite student and I care about you. I will be here for you should you ever need. I am inside Pharaoh, and wherever he is, is where I will be,” Banner said.

“Well Pharaoh seems to really like Zane. It’s kinda funny actually,” Jaden laughed. His eyes started to mist and he smiled.

“Yes, Pharaoh has taken to Zane. There are only a few people Pharaoh has liked this much. Myself, you, Zane and a student I had in my Alchemy class a couple of years ago,” Banner responded.

“You mean Yusuke?” Jaden questioned. He remembered Banner saying Yusuke was his best student in the class.

“Yes, he and Zane took it together. However it appears he is still around and under the control of that darkness. I mentioned Yusuke to Zane during our duel, and he appeared to be overcome with pain. I promised to not hurt him anymore, so I refrained from mentioning the name again.” Banner rubbed his chin in contemplation.

“According to Atticus any mention of Yusuke causes Zane pain. He wasn’t able to explain why, but he told me not to mention the name. So I decided not to,” Jaden supplied. He leaned forward and looked at Banner carefully. “Think we could look into this? I know Atticus wants to find him, and we could investigate next year?” Jaden offered.

“Possibly my boy.” Banner turned and smiled at him. “Are you able to forgive me?”

“You know it Banner. Thanks for talking to me, and thanks for protecting Zane that last time.” Jaden returned the smile, and the two of them spent the time they had catching up. Truthfully, Jaden hadn't felt this light in a long time.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Zane and Atticus walked into the exam room. Both were dressed in their white jackets and took their seats. Seniors started filling in and everyone took a seat. The testing hall was one of the largest rooms in the school, just because of this. You had students from every dorm, here for their last exam.

At exactly ten o’clock, Dr. Crolwer walked in with a large stack of papers and a box of pens. He walked to the front of the class and put them down. Narrowed eyes looked around the room and he smiled at all the students in here.

“Well, here we are. The accumulation of all your hard work, your final exam of your Duel Academy career. I have to say, I am very excited to have witnessed all of your growth and I know you all will do amazing things in your life. Now as you know, this exam is not timed, you can take as much time as needed. Once you are done, you will hand it to me and you may exit the room.”

Crowler walked around the room, handing out the packets. The exam was around 500 questions and it was about the different lessons taught over their entire time here. When he came across Zane and Atticus he smiled at both of them and nodded his head. He had high expectations for both of them, and he knew they would exceed them. Once the last exam was handed out, he walked back to the front of the classroom.

“Now then, you may begin your exam. Good luck,” Crowler announced.

Papers rustled as every student opened the packet. Zane looked at the questions and started marking the packet. He did the equations in the corners, and circled his answers. The room was so silent, you could hear the marks of people writing, the ticking of the clock and rustling of papers. 

Occasionally Crowler would walk around the front of the room, other times he was sitting at his desk on the computer working. His gaze would look around the room at different intervals to make sure everyone was obeying the ‘no cheating’ rule. 

Zane was half way through his exam and he was struggling a little bit. Missing two years, and then deciding to take the final probably wasn’t the best idea, but he was going to follow through. He was absurdly grateful for Crowler giving him the study guide. He knew he would have failed without it, as many things have changed in the last two years.

When he answered the last question, he felt pretty sure he did well. He knew more than he thought he would and it was a huge relief. He glanced at the clock and noticed that about three hours had passed. Crowler was leaning his cheek against his palm, scrolling through something on the computer. No one had gotten up to turn in the final yet, so Zane sucked in a breath and stood up.

Everyone looked at him, and he walked down the steps and made his way to Crowler. The teacher perked up and smiled as Zane handed in his final. Taking the packet, the eccentric teacher extended his hand and waited for Zane to take it. When he did, Crowler couldn’t contain his glee.

“It was an absolute pleasure to be your instructor these past years. I look forward to you working with me next year. But for now, enjoy your summer and rest,” Crowler spoke in a whisper. He gripped Zane’s hand tighter for a moment and nodded his head.

Zane nodded his head in return and offered a small smile of his own. With that, he turned and walked out of the exam room. He felt as if a weight had been lifted on his shoulders with the final completed. Smiling, he leaned against the wall and waited for Atticus to finish.

Atticus had looked as Zane handed his final in. A smile crossing his face, he stood up as soon as Zane was out of the room. He was on his last question when his boyfriend had stood up and walked to turn the final in. Crowler grinned widely once again as Atticus made his way down and turned his final in. Taking it, he repeated the gesture with Atticus.

“Congratulations, I have enjoyed being your instructor. You will do amazing things and I look forward to witnessing them all,” Crowler said proudly. Shaking hands he let the Obelisk walk out of the room.

Zane looked over and saw Atticus saunter out and wink at him. Laughing, the two of them walked out of the room. Once outside, Zane tilted his face to the sky and closed his eyes. Atticus stared and pulled out a camera. He felt like he was going to be Yusuke for a moment, and took a picture.

“Really? A picture?” Zane said as he opened his eyes and looked at Atticus.

“Yep, that peaceful look on your face was too good to pass up. Well, shall we go get your cat back from Jaden and let them get to their exam?” Atticus questioned.

Zane rolled his eyes. “I still don’t get why he’s MY cat.”

“Because, animals can sense who needs them. So Pharaoh sensed you needed a therapy animal and became just that,” Atticus laughed. He slung an arm through Zane’s and pulled him. “And I’m glad you do. Something tells me you’re going to need him.”

The two of them walked to the Slifer dorm and collected Pharaoh. The feline jumped into Zane’s arms and Jaden looked lighter. His eyes were slightly red, and the sight concerned both older teens.

“You alright Jaden?” Atticus asked, eyeing the Slifer with concern.

“Yeah, Banner and I talked and it was good.” Jaden shifted from foot to foot, looking at Zane with trepidation.

“What is it Jaden?” Zane asked.

“Well… I want to do something, but I’m sure how you’ll react,” Jaden said. He was so vague and looked so unsure it tugged at both of their hearts.

“What do you need Jaden? If it’s something I can help with, I will,” Zane said. He wanted the younger to trust him.

Without thinking, Jaden launched forward and hugged Zane. The teal haired duelist looked as if someone had shocked him. His eyes were wide and he was frozen. Jaden simply squeezed him tight and pulled back. His face had a sheepish look and he smiled.

“Sorry, I’m a hugger. Banner told me that you wanted him to talk with me and it means so much!” Jaden tried to explain.

Atticus laughed and rubbed Zane’s back. “Just give him a minute, Jaden. Zane’s not really a tactile person and while he isn’t as bad as he used to be, any kind of surprise touch confuses him. So don’t take it personally, at least he didn’t hit you. He actually punched me when I hugged him by surprise for the first time.”

“He did?” Jaden asked, shocked.

“Yep, he apologized, and we’re good. But he did tell me to not surprise him like that again. So I had to work up to touching him.” Atticus noticed Zane coming back again. “You alright?”

“Yeah,” Zane responded and coughed into a fist slightly. His face was slightly red. “Sorry Jaden, I’m not used to it.”

“Nah, it’s cool. Thanks for letting me hug you anyway.” Jaden smiled and turned around when he heard Syrus say his name. “Yeah Sy?”

“We need to get to the arena and take our promotion exams with the written one. Let’s go Jaden,” Syrus said. He moved forward and smiled at his brother. “Hey Zane, Jaden told me what Banner did. I’m glad he helped you and thanks for making him talk to Jaden.”

Zane smiled and held up a hand to Syrus. The short duelist smiled and gave his brother a high five. The two of them shared a look, while Jaden and Atticus rolled their eyes. Wishing the two Slifers good luck on their final and promotion tests, the two of them stood on the cliff’s edge.

“So, what do you think of everything that happened this year?” Zane questioned. Pharaoh was curled in his arms, his tail wrapped around Zane’s arm.

“I think a lot of good came from this year. Not only did we find you finally, but I got to see some absolute talent start to blossom. All of them have some serious potential, I kinda wish I could stick around to see it too,” Atticus responded.

“Well, maybe if you want. Sheppard wants to implement what he calls the ‘duel-taining’ aspect. It’s for performers and artistic types. He’s also doing an art class for card designs. You could talk to him, see if he wants you to help with it?” Zane stated casually.

“Seriously? Dude, that’s right up my alley! I’m going to go talk to him!” With wide, bright eyes, Atticus ran toward the building.

Zane laughed and looked out over the water. Things were settling, and he felt free. This year was ending on a better note than it started, and he couldn’t ask for anything better. Snuggling Pharaoh closer to him, he followed behind his crazy boyfriend and smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are nearing the end of this book! I can't believe it, holy crap. I will start working on the second book as well, I even bought the DVD set so I can have access to season 2. LOL. So this was the chapter where everyone took their finals and Atticus just might be sticking around now. Working as a temporary instructor. What do you guys think? And next chapter will contain a very special duel. Any guesses on what it might be? Banner was able to speak with Jaden and they are back on even footing now, which I am so glad I was able to do. As always, thoughts and predictions welcome. Stay safe and healthy everyone!


	42. And I Choose...

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: AND I CHOOSE...

That night everyone was celebrating the end of the year, exams were done and it was worth celebrating. The group of seven friends were all in the Obelisk Blue dorm, having a feast worthy of a king. Laughter filled the room, and it was the first time all of them felt truly lighter. Zane was sitting near the window and watching everyone, with a small smile on his face. Pharaoh sitting on his lap, cleaning his paws.

Atticus had spoken with Sheppard about helping out with the new curriculum. Sheppard had been overjoyed with the idea that Atticus, a natural performer, would be willing to help with the new classes. Atticus also had an artistic side, one that would help the new art classes take off as well. All in all, it seemed like this whole thing might just be what the academy needed.

Zane’s eyes looked at all his friends in the room. Currently Jaden and Atticus were talking and it was getting more and more animated. Laughter came from both of them and Zane knew that glint in Atticus’s eyes. Jaden would be getting more than he bargained for if he wasn’t careful. His gaze went to where Alexis sat with Bastion and Chazz, at a table talking. Alexis was laughing quietly, a direct contrast to her older brother. Chazz flushed and looked away, while Bastion chuckled right along with Alexis. Finally Syrus was walking over to him with two glasses in his hands.

“Here you go, big bro,” Syrus said and sat down next to him. Smiling when Zane took the drink, the brothers sat in silence until Syrus broke it. “So you are going to stick around and be an instructor?”

“Yes, I found I enjoyed working with Dr. Crowler in the classroom when I helped him with the CPR classes. So this is a direction I am looking forward to doing,” Zane replied with a smile.

Pharaoh meowed in greeting to the younger Truesdale. Syrus laughed and rubbed Pharaoh’s ears, causing the feline to purr. It was still a sight to the younger Truesdale to see his older brother have a cat with him. Never in his wildest dreams did he think Zane, of all people, would have a pet cat. Yet Pharaoh was never far from him.

“It’s funny how Pharaoh took to you so quickly,” Syrus said. His light blue eyes danced with teasing.

“Yeah, still don’t get it. But Banner said that Pharaoh would be near to help and so would he. I don’t know Sy,” Zane said quietly.

“What don’t you know?” Syrus asked instantly. His eyes turned concerned as he looked at his brother.

Zane leaned the back of his head against the window and closed his eyes. He felt tired, as if all the adrenaline from the exam was wearing off. Since his return from the shadows, he kept his body and mind tense to keep himself from falling victim to Hellshroud again. Now with Cyber End Dragon’s power protecting him and all the gates sealed, he didn’t need to.

“I’m just tired. That exam was harder than I thought and I guess it took more out of me than I thought. Crazy right?” Zane laughed a little.

“Not really, even though Jaden said it really dramatically… finals really are the true villain. Long hours of studying and not knowing if you’re going to remember it later…” Syrus shuddered. “I really hope it was enough.”

“I’m sure you did fine Syrus. Have a little faith in yourself,” Zane said earnestly. He reached over and patted Syrus’s shoulder and looked outside the window. “Well considering how late it’s getting, I think I’m going to go to bed. Good night Syrus.”

Giving his brother a hug, Zane stood up and started walking up the stairs. Pharaoh was at his feet, clearly hoping to sleep in the large bed once again. Zane was at his door, by the time Atticus caught up with him.

“Hey, you left without saying anything,” he laughed.

Zane knew that when Atticus got wired like this, he was nearly impossible to wind down. He looked at his boyfriend and rolled his eyes when Atticus wrapped an arm around him and kissed his temple.

“You know, if I didn’t know any better, I would say you somehow managed to get alcohol and were drunk. But you’re just on a high from finishing the exam aren’t you?” Zane questioned. He opened his door and walked in, Atticus on his heels.

“Yeah, I’m probably going to crash hard soon. But I enjoyed talking with Jaden.” Atticus smiled and sat on the edge of the bed. It was clear that Atticus saw the younger teen as a little brother, and enjoyed spending time with him.

Zane turned and looked at him, as he poured some food in a bowl for Pharaoh. Atticus was smiling, but there was a tiredness creeping in. His smile was still bright, even with his shoulders starting to slump down. Shaking his head in fond exasperation, Zane straightened from Pharaoh’s bowl and walked over to the bed.

Kneeling down, he grabbed Atticus’s feet and pulled off his shoes. Picking up his legs, he swung them around and had Atticus lying on the bed. Tired brown eyes looked up at him, and smiled slightly. Sitting on the edge, he pulled off his own shoes. Next thing he knew, arms were snaking around his waist and pulled him down on the bed. Surprise had him stiffening, and he looked at his boyfriend with wide eyes.

“Well now I can sleep,” Atticus said with a laugh. He leaned close, nuzzled Zane’s nose and kissed him. “Night Zane.” At that, Atticus closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Zane was left feeling flustered as he looked at the brunette Obelisk. Blowing out a breath, he settled in and felt contentment when Pharaoh joined them on the bed. The round cat curled in a ball by Zane’s feet and yawned before falling asleep as well. As Zane closed his eyes, he allowed himself to feel bliss and content.

The shimmering form of Professor Banner appeared by the window and looked at the two of them. He remained silent as he watched over them. A smile on his face, he walked over and sat on the couch. Determined to let them both sleep, and keep any demons away.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Morning came and Zane was the first to wake up. He blinked his vision clear and looked around the room. The sun was coming through the window, it was only a few rays, indicating it was still fairly early. Atticus’s deep breathing was the only sound in the room, well that and Pharaoh’s snoring. Both had Zane smiling and snuggling deeper in the bed.

Suddenly his duel link vibrated on the small table next to the bed. Groaning softly, he rolled over and grabbed it. Atticus muttered in his sleep and scooted closer, wrapping his arms around Zane’s waist and resting his head against his back. Looking at the screen, he noticed it was a note from Sheppard to all the seniors.

Seniors,

It has been a pleasure to witness your growth over the last years. Now all the finals have been graded and we will be doing the grade reveal at 10AM this morning. I expect you all to be there. But for now, enjoy your morning, and I look forward to seeing you at the reveal.

~Chancellor Sheppard, Head of Duel Academy

Zane smiled and put the link down after looking at the top corner for the time. When he saw it was only six in the morning, he decided to enjoy the time to sleep in. After all, when he started working with Dr. Crowler next year, he would have mostly early classes. He rolled over and settled his head on the pillow and closed his eyes again.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Atticus woke up before Zane this time, it seemed like they alternated who woke up first lately. He smiled as he saw Zane breathing deeply, and looked to be having a peaceful dream. A small smile was on his face. He made such a cute sight, it had Atticus leaning in and kissing him.

He waited until teal eyes opened to pull away. Smiling gently, he kissed Zane’s nose and was about to move in for another one, when Pharaoh made himself known. Both Obelisk teens pulled back, as if they were electrocuted. The round cat plopped in between them and meows loudly, pawing at the two of them.

Laughing, Atticus ran a hand over the fur. “Boy, you sure know how to get your point across.” He looked at Zane who was looking around the room suspiciously. “What’s up?”

“I just had a thought…” Zane trailed off. Swinging his legs off the bed, he stood and stretched. Teal eyes looking around the room again.

“You going to share or keep it to yourself?” Atticus asked. He tried to laugh, but he still was uncomfortable when Zane wasn’t completely open.

Blinking, Zane looked to Atticus and shrugged. “Banner mentioned that he could only go where Pharaoh was. So if Pharaoh’s in here, it makes me wonder if Banner sees what the cat sees. Does that make sense?”

Atticus frowned and then shuddered. The thought of the eccentric professor being able to see what his former cat could. Yeah, the thought was more than a little disturbing. Especially if he saw them together.

“Yeah, so that means our date nights we will need a kitty sitter,” Atticus said as he stood up as well. Zane looked at him and laughed. Sticking his tongue out at Zane, Atticus started laughing too. “Well at least we know of one person who would be more than willing to watch the little guy.”

“We aren’t going to pawn the cat to Jaden,” Zane tried to sound stern.

“We wouldn’t have to. You know as well as I do that Jaden would enjoy spending time with Pharaoh and by proxy Banner,” Atticus responded.

“I wouldn’t mind,” Banner said.

Zane froze, went unnaturally still and narrowed his eyes at the other end of the room. Even though he couldn’t see Banner, he could tell that’s where the voice came from. He was probably sitting on the couch.

“That’s fine, but it comes down to whether or not Jaden would be alright with it,” Zane responded. His response made it sound as if he was answering Atticus instead of Banner.

“Well we have an agreement,” Atticus responded. His back was currently to Zane, putting his shoes on. So he didn’t see Zane’s tensing, nor him scanning the room.

“Yeah, fine. But we should get ready, we have to be in the main hall for the score readout by 10 this morning.” Zane walked over to his closet and grabbed one of his jackets. “I’ll meet you down there?”

“Nah, I’ll go get changed and come back here. You go ahead and shower and change. I’ll be right back,” Atticus said. He stood up and walked to the door, opening it and closing it with a soft click.

“You aren’t going to be hovering around me forever are you?” Zane asked the silence.

“I will be around should you need. I won’t hover and upset you, but I won’t be far. There are many people I wish to make amends with, you and Jaden are two such people. So I truly would not mind spending time with Jaden,” Banner responded.

His form was sitting on the couch, watching Zane grab his clean clothes and towel. With his white jacket off, Banner could see how thin Zane had become and it concerned Banner. He pressed his lips together and watched the teal haired Obelisk walk to the bathroom, and shut the door. He would have to ask Jaden to help relay messages to people, since he knew Zane would get stubborn and refuse.

About 20 minutes later, both Atticus and Zane were walking through the hallways. It was nearing 9:30 and they walked into the large room. It was set up similar to the other lecture halls. Only this room had no seats or desks, instead it was standing room. The large screen was at the front of the room, currently on the sleep mode screen with the Duel Academy logo.

“So, we officially find out who managed to get the highest score for the last time,” Atticus teased as they stood in the room.

“It’s probably you. If Crowler hadn’t given me the study guide, I would have failed,” Zane responded and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Yeah right, you would have found a way to pass. I know you, it just would have made you study even harder. But I’m curious to see, and truthfully I am hoping for it. There’s someone I want to duel before the end of the year,” Atticus confessed. He put his hands behind his head and smiled.

“Color me shocked,” Zane said sarcastically. He eyed Atticus knowingly, it wasn’t hard to figure out who he was talking about.

At that moment, other students began coming in. All of them were the seniors from yesterday, waiting to see their scores. Once the last student walked in, and the clock struck 10, the bells chimed. Everyone looked to the front as Dr. Crowler and Chancellor Sheppard stood on the podium.

“Welcome seniors, your finals have been graded. We will now show the scores on the screen,” Dr. Crowler said. A glint in his eyes, had both Atticus and Zane sharing a look.

The screen turned on and everyone looked up at it. Names started scrolling, starting at the bottom and working toward the top. Both Elites heard multiple grumbles when certain names appeared. They were now in the top 10, and frankly Zane was shocked he made it that high. Relieved, but shocked.

Finally they were at the top… but shockingly neither his name, nor Atticus’s name had been shown. Spot one then split into two slots, showing both their names. They stared at the screen, absolute disbelief in their minds.

“We have a tie for top spot,” Sheppard laughed. He knew this was coming, the two of them were constantly going back and forth. “You know what that means, either you both can duel one another at the Graduation Match, or you can decide between the two of you who will duel.”

“Atticus can duel,” Zane said without thinking. He wasn’t in the mood for dueling, and he knew Atticus wanted a shot at someone.

“Are you sure Zane?” Atticus asked. He knew his boyfriend wasn’t feeling up to dueling yet, but he wanted to make sure.

“I’m sure. This one’s all yours,” Zane said with a smile.

“Alright, thanks buddy,” Atticus said. Grinning from ear to ear at the prospect.

“Well then, congratulations Atticus Rhodes. You have the honor of being the headliner in Duel Academy’s prestigious Graduation Match,” Crowler said. He clapped his hands together and beamed at the Elite Obelisk.

“Well thanks,” Atticus said. He was still grinning, the prospect that he would get the duel he wanted. He crossed his arms and grinned at the screen and then at Crowler.

“And tradition dictates that you can choose your opponent for this match. So who will it be?” Crowler asked eagerly.

Atticus simply smiled and shook his head. “I’ll announce it after I let my opponent know. See if this person wants to duel.”

With that declaration, everyone left the room. Whispers were heard from the students leaving the room. Clearly it wouldn’t take long before the entire island knew who was top. Finally only Atticus, Zane, Dr. Crowler and Chancellor Sheppard were left in the room. Dr. Crowler was smiling and he quickly grabbed Zane’s hand. The teenager simply looked at the instructor and gave a small, grateful smile.

“Thank you for the study guide. It was the best help I could have gotten,” Zane said.

“Nonsense, I knew you would do amazing. The guide just gave you the last bit of information you needed. And now I am even more eager to work with you next year.” His eyes went to Atticus and gave the same treatment to him. “And I hear you will be working with us next year as well? Well the new students will have some of the best for teachers.”

“Thanks Dr. Crowler, I’m looking forward to it.” Atticus smiled and accepted the handshake.

“So Rhodes, who are you going to duel?” Sheppard asked. He was standing next to Crowler with his hands behind his back.

“Let me go speak with him first. I want to make sure he’s game for the duel before I say anything,” Atticus responded.

“Well let Dr. Crowler or myself know and we will set up the duel,” Sheppard responded. A knowing glint in his eyes shone in his eyes.

With that, both adults walked out of the room. Zane was left looking at Atticus and the wild look in his eyes. Shaking his head, he knew exactly who he planned to duel. There would be no backing down from either side. Suddenly a purring got their attention and Zane looked down at his feet where Pharaoh was rubbing against his legs.

“Ok, seriously! How the hell do you keep getting out of my room? What are you, a feline Houdini?” Zane snapped down at the cat.

“Give it a rest Zane, clearly Pharaoh can get anywhere. Just accept it,” Atticus laughed and slung an arm around his shoulders. “So you want to come with me?”

“Yeah, let’s go ask a certain Slifer to be your opponent,” Zane jabbed.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Jaden and Syrus were lounging in the dorm room. It was still early by their standards and they were watching a movie on the little DVD player. Lying in what was essentially a blanket fort, they were so engrossed in the movie, neither heard the knocking on the door. They were huddled in blankets and leaning against each other enjoying some downtime.

However in the movie, the group of teens were walking into the haunted house. Jaden leaned forward, knowing from personal experience it was a stupid thing to do. His wide brown eyes were riveted to the tiny screen. Syrus was starting to cover his eyes, knowing something bad was going to happen.

“JADEN! SYRUS!” Atticus called out and banged on the door again.

Both Slifers let out screams as they clung to one another. Atticus and Zane broke open the door upon hearing them scream. Both Obelisks looked around the room, searching for any sign of what caused the two Slifers to scream. When all they saw was Syrus and Jaden clinging to one another, the tiny DVD player in front of them, they both relaxed their stances.

Jaden blinked and stood up. Laughing he rubbed the back of his head, and looked at the two duelists in front of him. They were shaking their heads at him and Syrus, Pharaoh winding between their legs.

“Hey guys, what’s up?” Jaden asked.

“Well you see Jaden, I have something very serious to discuss with you,” Atticus stated. His gaze was serious and it had Jaden snapping his spine straight.

“Yeah? What can I do?” Jaden responded. His eyes were serious.

Suddenly Atticus laughed, breaking the rising tension in the room. “Well you still want your shot at me?”

“Huh?” The brunette Slifer cocked his head to the side.

“I’ve decided Jaden, I want you to be my opponent in the Grad Match at the end of the week. You want it?” Atticus crossed his arms and looked Jaden head on.

“ME?!” Jaden exclaimed after a beat of silence. He pointed a finger to his face, and his jaw went slack.

Syrus was equally shocked. His eyes went wide and he looked from Atticus to Jaden. Finally he looked to his brother, who had a hand covering his mouth. Clearly Zane was trying to hide his laughter. He wasn’t doing a very good job at it and Syrus caught the sight.

“That’s right Jaden. You said before you wanted a shot at me, and now I’m offering it to you. The biggest duel of the year, you and me.” Atticus’s brown eyes sparkled with the prospect.

Jaden looked ready to accept, but he looked at Zane for a moment. “You’re alright with this? Word spread that you two tied, I’m surprised you’re not getting involved with this.”

Zane lowered his hand and smiled, but it looked slightly sad. “I can’t duel right now Jaden. I don’t have the drive for it, and Atticus deserves one last duel. One that will leave dueling on a fun note again.”

Atticus looked at Zane, frowning at the implication. But chose not to comment on it for now. He instead looked at Jaden, waiting for his answer. Said Slifer didn’t disappoint.

“What can I say, but absolutely yes!” Jaden clenched a fist and leaned forward. “I’ve been wanting to duel you since we met on the plane!”

“Since way back then, huh?” Atticus laughed. Extending a fist out, he left it hanging in the air. Jaden knew exactly what to do and returned the gesture with a fist bump. “I’ll let Sheppard know my opponent accepted. Better get your deck ready Jaden. I’m looking forward to this.”

With that the two Obelisks turned and left the room. Jaden shut the door and was vibrating with excitement. He was getting his duel with one of the big men on campus. Ever since he saw Atticus on the plane, the confidence he exuded… Then to watch him destroy Camula, Jaden knew he needed to duel the guy.

“You sure look excited Jay,” Syrus said. He looked at his friend and noticed how hyped up he was.

“You bet! The last duel of the year and I’m in! I mean how could I ask for anything better?!” Jaden pumped a fist in the air. “It’s time to get my game on!”

Syrus smiled and nodded his head. “Yeah, and you’re going to need it. Only my brother has ever been close to Atticus’s level. But I know you can do it!”

The two friends settled back in their fort and resumed the movie. Jaden pulled out his deck and was going through it. Syrus would lean over and give his opinion on something, soon the movie was forgotten. Instead the two Slifers prepared for the biggest match of Jaden’s Duel Academy career.

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“What did you mean by that comment Zane?” Atticus asked as they walked into Zane’s dorm room again.

“What comment?” Zane questioned, trying to play dumb. He knew he made a mistake by revealing what he did.

“Don’t play dumb with me. You know exactly what comment I’m talking about.” Atticus stood in front of him, hands on hips and narrowed eyes.

Sighing, Zane shook his head. “I want you to have a fun duel to remember your final year. You used to be a lot like Jaden. Always ready for a duel, always ready for a fun time. I want you to be able to go back to that. Not having to worry about me, or anything else. Having a duel with Jaden is what you need.”

“What I NEED is my boyfriend to stop acting like everything he went through the last two years was his fault,” Atticus snapped. His hands snapped out and grabbed Zane, pulling him in for a bone crushing hug. “Now, I am grateful you’re willing to let me duel against Jaden, but don’t put blame on yourself for what happened.”

Zane remained stiff for a moment, but then relaxed into the hug. Pharaoh was sitting on the couch, tail swinging lazily back and forth observing them. Banner appeared next to his cat and frowned. He felt concern growing, but he was glad to see Atticus talking to him.

“Alright, but I am glad you are dueling against Jaden. It will be good for both of you,” Zane said on a smirk.

“Yeah well ever since he beat Crowler at the entrance exams, I’ve wanted the chance,” Atticus replied.

Zane went still and looked at him with wide eyes. “He beat Dr. Crowler?!”

“Oh yeah, you didn’t know that,” Atticus laughed. He laced their fingers and walked over to the couch. “Well, let me catch you up on that whole thing.”

Zane sank down next to him and leaned his head against Atticus’s shoulder. Atticus was running his hand up and down Zane's arm. He listened to him recount the first duel between Crowler and Jaden. It had him smiling, imagining the hyperactive Slifer beating the straight laced teacher. Suddenly Crowler’s comments about the Slifers made so much more sense. And had him absurdly eager for the duel to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, please don't be mad the duel didn't make it in this chapter. It will be next chapter, I PROMISE. The lead up took longer than I thought and since I don't want to skimp on the duel itself, it will be on the longer side. So what do you think of Atticus choosing Jaden for the graduation match? Who do you think will win here? Also, is Pharaoh an escape artist? The cat can get anywhere! As always thoughts and predictions welcome. Stay healthy and safe everyone.


	43. The King VS The Prince

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: THE KING VS THE PRINCE

Atticus was sitting cross legged on his bed looking at his deck. The match between Jaden and himself was only a day away, and he still couldn’t make up his mind on which deck to use. Ever since his first year at Duel Academy had had two decks he kept. His main one was obviously his Red Eyes Deck, but he had a special deck as well, the Sphere Deck. The latter was one he rarely used anymore, just for special occasions.

His cards were laid out in front of him, a contemplative look on his face. Sighing, he ran a hand over his hair, and shook his head. Crossing his arms over his chest, he narrowed his eyes at the cards. This was harder than he thought, he wanted to give Jaden a good match, one to remember. Yet, he wanted to win as well, and seeing Jaden duel against Crowler and Abidos… yeah Jaden would be a challenge. Plus you factor in Zane’s comment about Jaden’s dueling… Atticus could feel his blood start to rush at the thought of a great duel.

Smirking, he thought about how the hyperactive Slifer had managed to become the equivalent of a younger brother to him. Atticus had originally befriended Syrus to keep him safe, and fulfill his promise to Zane. Yet as the year progressed he saw Syrus as a friend and younger brother. That also extended to Jaden as well. Atticus could see he needed some guidance, and he was more than happy to do just that. The Slifer had talent, and Atticus couldn’t wait to see it up close and personal during the duel. This duel was going to be a fantastic way to end the year of chaos.

If only he could figure out what deck to use! Both were special for him, both represented parts of his mind and soul. Blowing out a breath, he flopped back on his bed and the cards shifted with the sudden movement.

“Agh, this should not be this difficult,” he complained. Sitting up, he looked out the window and saw the sun was turning the sky a fire-orange color. “I wonder if Zane’s in his room. Maybe he can help me figure out what deck to use.”

He got up from his bed, and gathered up all his cards. Once they were separated into the two different decks, he walked to his door. As he walked the few feet to Zane’s room, he looked around the halls. This would be one of his last times walking the halls as a student, and it was a surreal feeling. Knocking on Zane’s door to announce his presence, he opened it. Before him, was a sight he never thought he would see in a million years.

Zane was curled up on his side in his bed, eyes closed and breathing even. Pharaoh was snuggled up against his chest and Zane was holding him close. He was actually cuddling the freaking cat, and it was hilariously cute. His white jacket was draped over the chair next to his bed and he was only in a black shirt and his blue paints. His shoes were off and his feet bare. Pharaoh for his part was snoring, and tail twitching slightly.

Grinning like a lunatic, Atticus walked over and knelt down beside the bed. It was a huge relief to see his boyfriend sleeping so soundly. He placed his arms on the side of the bed and leaned his chin on them. Chocolate eyes simply stared at the sleeping form, and he wondered if this was creepy what he was doing or understandable.

Reaching over, he brushed teal bangs back from Zane’s forehead and froze when he shifted. Yanking his hand back, he held his breath, hoping he didn’t wake him up. Clearly Lady Luck was against him, as his eyes opened and Zane looked at him. Teal eyes, still foggy with sleep, blinked a few times and looked at him questioningly.

“Hey,” his voice cracked with sleep and he cleared his throat. “What are you doing here?” Zane asked. He sat up, and stretched his arms over his head.

“Just coming to see you. But you were asleep and I really didn’t want to wake you up, but I guess I did anyway. Sorry,” Atticus replied.

“Mmm, don’t be. I shouldn’t have laid down, now I’m going to have a hard time sleeping tonight.” Zane shook his head and looked back to Atticus. “Now what did you need? You wouldn’t have come in here if you didn’t need something.”

“Well actually…” Atticus looked away for a moment.

“What?” Zane narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips together.

“I was wondering if you could help me decide what deck to use,” Atticus admitted sheepishly. He smiled slightly and scratched his cheek.

“You aren’t sure what deck you want to use?”

“Yeah, if you recall I have two decks. My Red Eyes Deck, which everyone knows about. I love it, but I also have my Sphere Deck. I haven’t used it in such a long time… but I feel like I should. Or I would be neglecting it,” Atticus started to try and explain.

Scooting over, Zane put Pharaoh on his lap and crossed his legs. Patting the spot next to him, he motioned for Atticus to join him on the bed. With a smile, Atticus did just that. He sat next to Zane, and pulled out both his decks.

“I remember your Sphere one. You haven’t used it in awhile from what I’ve heard, but you love it.” Zane ran a hand over Pharaoh and reached over to take said deck. He flipped through it and smiled. “You were hell on wheels in the Junior Championships with this deck, and in our first year together.”

Atticus laughed and nodded his head. “I totally was, I remember people getting pissed when I dueled the way I did. No one knew what deck I would use and I loved having that element of surprise on my side.”

Zane set down the Sphere Deck and reached over to take the Red Eyes Deck. He flipped through it as well. Looking at the dark type monsters, Zane noted something interesting. His eyes raised to Atticus and he put the deck down. He hoped he could get his thoughts across, without sounding corny or criticizing.

“You know, take what I’m saying with a grain of salt, but I think you used the Red Eyes Deck more lately because it was easier to put distance between yourself and the Sphere Deck. And the past itself.”

“What do you mean by that?” Atticus looked at him with wide eyes.

“What I mean is your Red Eyes Deck is geared towards dark type monsters, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However your Sphere Deck is geared toward light types. For the last two years you were hurting, with my disappearance and feeling like you could have stopped it, you wanted a little dark. You always loved your Red Eyes, and that will never change… but you yourself changed slightly. It was a way for you to express how you were feeling without having to actually say it out loud.” Zane looked as his words started to sink in and Atticus went completely still.

“I…” he trailed off unable to say anything.

“You always have a light and warmth about you Atticus, it’s what I love about you. You’ve never lost it, and it could thaw a glacier. However, you have to admit, your light cards represent who you were, and your dark cards represent who you became. Now, I’m not saying you are a dark person, that would never be the case. I’m simply saying… you are a light and warm person. Maybe think about that. This duel is to end the year on a positive note. Use whatever deck makes you happy, this is just my take,” Zane finished carefully.

Atticus looked down at his cards, and realized Zane was right. While he always had both decks, he used his Sphere Deck so much more in the past. But after he lost both Zane and Yusuke, he switched to his Red Eyes Deck and never even looked at the Sphere on again. It made sense when Zane put it that way. He was hurting, and by using darker cards he was able to deal with it that way instead of talking about it.

Looking at his boyfriend, Atticus smiled. Now that Zane was back, things were slowly getting back to normal. He would rescue Yusuke, and free him from whatever entity was controlling him, just like they freed Zane from Hellshroud. Leaning over, he rested his head on Zane’s shoulder and closed his eyes. His mind felt lighter, and he had his answer.

“Thanks, you always seem to know what to say to help,” Atticus said softly. He felt his head shift when Zane’s shoulder moved with near silent laughter.

“I don’t have a way with words, that’s your department. I just said something I noticed that was interesting. Did you make your decision?”

“Yep, I know what deck I want to use. And I will give Jaden a duel he won’t ever forget,” Atticus said with a smile.

Both Elites sat in silence for a while, simply enjoying some peace. The duel was tomorrow, and Atticus could feel himself getting more excited. This was something he had been looking forward to for some time.

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Morning came around and the school was buzzing with excitement. Word had spread how it would be a third year Obelisk Blue and a first year Slifer Red. Something completely unheard of in Duel Academy history. Students and faculty were making their way into the large duel arena. Everyone was taking seats waiting for the competitors to enter.

Zane was sitting with Syrus and his friends. He took a seat behind where Syrus was sitting next to Alexis. Chazz and Bastion were on her other side. They all were talking, trying to figure out who would come out victorious here.

“It’s about to start!” Syrus exclaimed. His eyes were blazing with excitement as he stared down at the platform. He clenched his fists and brought them up with a smile.

“Yeah,” Alexis said quietly. She smiled and Zane caught her glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

He found she was a direct contrast to her brother. She was on the quieter side, more studious and had a quieter strength. While Atticus was much more flamboyant. They were near polar opposites. It was interesting, but if people looked at Syrus and himself, they wouldn’t think they were related either. So he wasn’t sure what to make of it.

“This should be a good match. Atticus and Jaden dueling it out in the last match of the year. Could you ask for a better match?” Zane said quietly. He crossed his arms over his chest, and smiled slightly.

“A mismatch. According to my calculations, Atticus is the favorite to win here. He’s the King of Duel Academy and a senior,” Bastion said. The Ra pulled out his duel link and typed in some figures.

“Some things you can’t figure,” Alexis countered. She looked at Bastion and rolled her eyes. Glancing back, she met Zane’s gaze. “So who are you rooting for?”

Shrugging his shoulders Zane considered. “Truthfully, I’m not sure. The obvious choice would be Atticus, but when I dueled Jaden… he managed to surprise me. That hasn’t happened in a long time. In fact Jaden reminds me of a younger Atticus. So this match should be interesting to see who wins.”

“Good answer,” she said with a laugh. She turned her attention to Chazz sitting on the other side of Bastion. “So what about you Chazz?”

The black haired Slifer was sitting with his left leg crossed over his right and his arms crossed over his chest. He opened his dark eyes to look at her. She was smiling encouragingly at him, urging him to say his opinion.

“I’m rooting for Atticus of course,” he said finally. Dark eyes went back to the duel platform in the middle of the round room. Atticus was the first to really accept him, show him what true friends were and boost his confidence when he needed it. “He’ll wipe the floor with Jaden.” A smirk came to his face at the thought.

“Good answer,” Alexis repeated. Her gold eyes were glinting with pleasure at Chazz being honest.

Suddenly the chatter became more pronounced and everyone turned their attention to the tunnel when both duelists were entering from. Cheers rang out along with claps as both Atticus and Jaden emerged. They were talking and Atticus gave Jaden a playful shove to the shoulder as they parted ways to walk to opposite ends of the platform.

Jaden looked on fire with his red jacket and glinting brown eyes. His friends could see him practically vibrating in place with excitement. Atticus was more composed, dressed in his white Obelisk jacket he simply smiled at Jaden and nodded his head. They both walked to the center and stood before each other. Smiling, they extended their hands and shook.

“Alright Atticus, may the best duelist win,” Jaden said with glee. A wide smile on his face.

“You bet Jaden. I’m looking forward to this,” Atticus responded. 

Zane noticed the glint in Atticus’s eyes and he smiled himself. It was a glint that had been missing for too long. He was glad to see it back. As both competitors stood there shaking hands, Dr. Crowler rose up and had a microphone in his hand. He and Sheppard shared a look before Crowler began his pre-duel announcement.

“And now ladies and gentlemen, we commence with the Grad Match! The ultimate match between Atticus Rhodes and Jaden… is it ‘Guppy’? No, ‘Pukey’? No… ah yes Jaden Yuki,” Crowler announced. His eyes glinted mischievously at Jaden as he said his name wrong twice.

“Seriously teach?” Jaden called out and puffed out his cheeks.

Everyone laughed in the room. Crowler smiled and shrugged his shoulders before moving his arm dramatically. “Duelists, you may begin!”

Both Jaden and Atticus backed up to their spots and clicked open their duel disks. Drawing their cards, they stared each other down for a few moments. Finally Atticus smiled and looked over where their friends sat. Giving Zane a quick nod, he looked back to Jaden.

“Alright, who do you want to go first?” he asked.

“You mind if I do?” Jaden asked eagerly.

“Go for it.” Atticus smiled and looked at his cards, he was excited to break them out.

“Alright!” Jaden drew a card and looked down at them. “I use the spell card Polymerization, to fuse together Avian and Burstinatrix in my hand in order to form the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!” Jaden’s favorite fusion monster appeared before him, the daunting 2100 attack points flashing. “I’ll also throw down a facedown and I think that should do for now.” The facedown appeared on the field.

Everyone was shocked that Jaden started out so big. On the first turn he summoned a fusion monster, and his favorite one at that. All eyes were on Atticus as he looked at the monster with a smirk.

“Alright, my turn.” Atticus drew a card and looked at them, a plan formulating. “First off I use the spell card Excavation Work. With this, I can send one card in my hand to the graveyard and draw another card.” Atticus drew his card and smiled. “I also special summon a monster. You see Jaden, when my opponent has a monster out that is level five or higher, I can special summon this little guy. I special summon Breeze Sphere!”

The little light colored bird appeared holding a swirling sphere in its talons. 700 attack points flashed. Everyone was staring down in disbelief. This card wasn’t part of Atticus’s Red Eyes Deck they were all used to. He was using a deck he hadn't in two years, and all the seniors in the arena were stunned. Zane smiled and leaned back, Atticus took his advice and was dueling with the deck he was happiest with.

“Hold on! Where did that card come from? I’ve never seen you use that card, man,” Jaden called out. His eyes were wide and confused.

“Of course you haven’t Jaden. I’ve always had two decks, my Red Eyes Deck which has been my main one for two years. And this one, it’s called my Sphere Deck. I haven’t used it for about those two years, but I thought you would be the perfect person to have it make a comeback with. Let’s make this a fun duel!” The brunette Obelisk smiled at Jaden, an excited smile that was quickly returned.

Jaden’s eyes sparkled and he brought his hands up to his face and grinned so wide it split his face. “Man, this is going to be the best duel ever! I can’t wait to see what other cards are in that deck of yours!”

“Your wish is my command. I now sacrifice my Breeze Sphere to summon; Virtual Sphere!” A rush of wind wrapped around the little chick and emerged a falcon looking monster. Wing-like arms each held a swirling sphere and it let out a roar to the sky. 2200 attack points flashed.

Jaden looked at the monster and he danced from foot to foot in excitement. His eyes were glittering and he couldn’t contain his excitement. Even though Atticus’s monster was more powerful, he was going to be having a blast.

“Now then Virtual Sphere, attack Flame Wingman!” Atticus ordered the attack and slashed his arm out.

Virtual Sphere did as ordered and launched at Flame Wingman. Bringing it’s wing like arms together, it gathered air between them. Jaden’s eyes widened and he realized he needed to think quickly. Glancing down, he remembered his facedown card.

“I activate my facedown; Negate Attack. This stops your attack and saves my Elemental Hero.” Jaden wiped the sweat from his brow. “That was a close one,” he muttered.

Smiling Atticus straightened and nodded his head in approval. Virtual Sphere returned to stand in front of Atticus once more. “Nice one. I guess I’ll place two cards facedown and end my turn. You’re up.” The facedowns appeared on the field. Atticus smiled widely, he was enjoying himself with a duel again. It had been so long since that happened.

“Wow, my turn!” Jaden drew a card and smiled. “I play the spell card Heated Heart. It gives my Flame Wingman an extra 500 attack points, making his total 2600. So go Flame Wingman, destroy Virtual Sphere!” Jaden exclaimed.

Flame Wingman launched up in the sky and came barreling down toward Atticus’s monster. The Obelisk braced himself as his monster was destroyed. A swirl of smoke surrounded him and he lost 400 lifepoints. Everyone in the room was on the edge of their seats. Jaden just managed to destroy Atticus’s monster and take the lead in the duel.

“And let’s not forget his sweet special ability. When Flame Wingman destroys a monster in battle, you take damage equal to that monster’s attack points.” Jaden laughed and clenched a fist. “That’s a whopping 2200 extra points of damage.”

Flame Wingman stood in front of Atticus and lifted it’s arm ready to blast him for damage. Atticus smirked and motioned to his own facedown. Jaden wasn’t going to win that easy.

“Not happening Jaden. I activate my own facedown; Damage Polarizer. This trap card negates any and all damage I would have taken as a result of an effect.” A shining barrier appeared between Atticus and Flame Wingman. With that, the Elemental Hero jumped back to stand in front of Jaden. “We also both get to draw one card each as a result of this card.”

“Man, that was sweet! I guess I’ll go ahead and end my turn!” Jaden started vibrating again and let out a laugh. “Man, you really live up to your reputation!”

“Not half bad yourself Jaden. Now then, since Virtual Sphere has been destroyed I can activate its effect. When it’s sent from the field to the graveyard, I can special summon one level four or below monster from my graveyard. From my graveyard I special summon Synthetic Sphere!” A cybernetic bird appeared, its body was sphere and sharp wings and talons. It raised its head and squawked at Jaden. 1000 attack points flashed.

“My, I’ve never seen a deck like this before,” Bastion said. He was leaning forward, dark eyes wide and eagerly watching the duel. Chazz mimicked the action, he never knew this deck was in Atticus’s arsenal.

“No one has,” Alexis whispered. She remembered her brother’s Sphere Deck, but he hadn’t used it in forever. Her eyes went to where Zane was sitting behind them. “My brother hasn’t used that deck since Zane vanished.”

Syrus widened his eyes and looked back at his brother, as did the other three. Zane met their stares and kept his arms protectively crossed in front of him. He was never one to like all eyes on him. When they wouldn’t look away, he sighed.

“Atticus has always been partial to this deck. While he loves his Red Eyes, his Sphere Deck holds a special place in his heart. In fact it was that deck that started the rivalry and everything to come for us,” Zane explained. He smiled down where Atticus was relaxed, eyes bright and a wide smile on his face. “He needed this, needed to remember dueling for fun. The Sphere Deck is perfect for that.”

Alexis smiled and returned her attention to her brother and Jaden. Zane was right, Atticus had been carrying too much weight for too long. Now he was acting like himself, and the sight warmed her heart. Gold eyes looked back at Zane for a moment, and she promised herself to be their biggest supporter and friend. Zane was good for Atticus, and she knew he was the one to convince her brother to go back to the Sphere Deck.

“Get this Jaden, when Synthetic Sphere is summoned, I can special summon one level four or below monster from my graveyard. And I choose Breeze Sphere.” The little chick appeared once more and chirped at Jaden. 

Jaden looked at them with trepidation. He was trying to figure out what Atticus was going for, summoning two monsters like he just did.

Atticus held up a finger and waved it, with a wild eyed look. “Oh, I’m not done yet Jaden. I reveal my other facedown; Atmospheric Transference. When I special summon one of my Sphere’s I can special summon another level four or below monster from my deck.” Atticus pulled out his deck and smirked when he found the one he was looking for. “I summon Air Sphere to the field.”

A little aviary appeared with wings like Winged Kuriboh. It was even smaller than Breeze Sphere, and it chirped happily. Students were looking to one another wondering why Atticus summoned the tiny monster. The thing only had 400 attack points.

“I activate this little one’s effect. When he’s on the field with another Sphere, you can’t attack,” Atticus announced. With his declaration, he answered all their questions.

Jaden’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”

Atticus nodded his head. “Yep, sorry… well not really.” Atticus laughed and put his hand on his hip, cocking his head to the side. “With that I will end my turn. You’re up Jaden.”

Jaden looked across the field at Atticus. The guy was really living up to his reputation of being a ‘King’. He managed to get three monsters out in one turn, it was insane. Smiling, Jaden drew a card and looked at his hand. He didn’t have much to speak of, and he couldn’t attack. Still that didn’t mean he couldn’t summon another monster, to boost his side.

“All right, I’m busting out Elemental Hero Sparkman in attack mode!” Jaden’s electric monster appeared and stood proud next to Flame Wingman. 1600 attack points flashed. “I think that should do for now,” Jaden said.

Drawing a card, Atticus could feel his blood heating. All the pieces were in place, and now he just needed to play it out. He raised his gaze to Jaden and looked him dead in the eyes. Given Jaden’s reaction, he could only imagine what his face looked like.

“Here I come Jaden! First off I sacrifice my three Sphere monsters to summon this!” Wind whipped around Atticus and all three of his monsters vanished, a blinding light appeared and a massive bird appeared behind Atticus. It held a giant sphere in its talons and spread its large wings. “I will rule the field with The Atmosphere!”

1000 attack points flashed and once again, Atticus left everyone stumped. Zane smirked down, he remembered being in their positions once, and he paid for it. Atticus was a trickster and this card was proof of that. It started out weak, but had one hell of a special ability.

Jaden was staring wide eyed, and he brought his hands to face and jumped from leg to leg. Atticus noticed it was similar to when he dueled Crowler, his excitement was palpable. Large brown eyes were glittering with glee, and Atticus felt himself grinning more in this duel than he had in forever.

“Wow! Talk about a presence, it nearly knocked me off my feet when you summoned it. This is what dueling is! The excitement,” Jaden exclaimed and threw his hands in the air.

“If you think that’s impressive Jaden, just wait until I show you his special ability.” Atticus pointed a finger at Flame Wingman. “When I sacrifice three monsters to summon him, I can take one of my opponent's monsters and equip it to him. That monsters attack and defense points are then added to The Atmosphere’s. And I pick Flame Wingman.”

Jaden froze as his fusion monster was drawn in with a gravitational pull. It was sealed inside the sphere between the monster’s talons. Raising its head the aviary monster roared and the attack points rose, taking the total to 3100. Looking up at the monster, even though Jaden had a sinking feeling this was not going to end well, he felt his blood rushing.

“Now then, I will have The Atmosphere attack your Elemental Hero Sparkman!” Atticus declared the attack and pointed a finger toward the monster. 

The monster did as ordered and flapped its wings, causing a tornado type attack to form. The destructive attack went toward Sparkman and swallowed him up. Jaden brought a hand up to his face and covered it. When the dust settled, Jaden was left standing alone on his side of the field. Losing 1500 lifepoints now put him at 2500.

“Man, what an attack!” Jaden yelled. A manic smile made its way across his face.

“You never change do you? You did this with Dr. Crowler at the entrance exams too. A powerful monster is in front of you and you get excited,” Atticus stated.

“Nope, I live for this kind of challenge. Dueling against everyone this year, both good and bad… it’s brought me closer to people who are my best friends. I have Syrus, Chumley, Bastion, Alexis, Zane, Chazz and you. I couldn’t ask for better friends, or a better duel to end the year. No matter if I win or lose, if I have fun then I win every time!”

Atticus looked at Jaden closely. While he was younger, his words had a wisdom beyond his years. And he was right, the ultimate kicker of all. Two years of worry and searching. Everything coming to a head this year, the deal with the Shadow Riders and seeing Yusuke again, even if it wasn’t the person he remembered… He really had forgotten what dueling really was about. It was about having fun and forging bonds with the people around you. His eyes went to where the others were sitting.

Looking at the younger ones he took under his wing this year. Bastion was a genius and kind of on the fringe, but Atticus drew him in as a friend. Chazz needed a big brother who wasn’t hurtful toward him, and Atticus made the decision to be just that for him. Syrus needed someone to guide him, and Atticus wanted to be there for him, to help him grow. He looked at his sister, who had her own strength and let him be the one to be cared for. She was always in his corner. Finally his gaze went to Zane. His boyfriend was something else entirely. Standoffish to most, but when they were alone he was open with affection. It took months of wearing him down, but Atticus realized Jaden’s words were right. 

“Man, how embarrassing. I get a lesson taught to me by a first year Slifer Red,” Atticus laughed and put a hand to his head. He saw Jaden raise his eyebrows in confusion. “I forgot that dueling can really be fun, and it forms connections with those you duel. You’re right Jaden, I made amazing friends here and it’s thanks to dueling.”

Jaden smiled and gave a thumbs up. He wasn’t entirely sure what train of thought Atticus had when he said that, but he was glad to help. Atticus treated him like a little brother, and it warmed him to have that.

“All right, I place one card facedown and I’ll pass it back to you.” A facedown appeared and Atticus motioned for Jaden’s turn.

“All right, I draw. First off I’m going to play one of my favorites, Pot of Greed.” Jaden drew his two other cards. He looked at them, and back to Atticus. With Flame Wingman’s attack points still added to The Atmosphere’s that monster was way too strong. He needed to play some defense. “All right, I’m going to rock a Polymerization and fuse together Elemental Hero Clayman and Elemental Hero Bubbleman. This lets me summon Elemental Hero Mudballman. I’ll have him defend me.” The large mud monster kneeled and 3000 defense points flashed.

“Nice move Jay! That’s some serious defense,” Syrus cheered.

“I’ll end my turn with that,” Jaden stated.

“Not bad. Not enough to stop me, but not bad Jaden. I play the spell card Monster Reborn and bring back Synthetic Sphere.” The monster appeared on the field. “And don’t forget with his special ability I can special summon one level four or below monster from my graveyard. So welcome back Breeze Sphere. But they won’t be here long, I sacrifice both of them to summon Troposphere!”

With another blast of wind, both monsters vanished and another, more powerful monster stood in their place. It looked like a humanoid bird man. It had large wings from its back, but also had arms. It landed and stood on legs next to The Atmosphere, clad in armor it made a viscous sight. 2400 attack points flashed and Jaden gulped.

“And even better is my Troposphere is unaffected by trap cards.” Atticus leveled Jaden with a smirk. “Now Atmosphere attack Mudballman!” The monster did as ordered and Jaden’s last line of defense was gone.

“Ah crap baskets!” Jaden muttered. He looked where Atticus still had one monster left and grimaced.

“Now that you’re wide open, Troposphere will attack you directly!” Atticus slashed his arm out and watched as his monster did just that. 

The attack landed and Jaden struggled to hold his ground. He put both arms up to cover his face, and spread his legs to shoulder width and held on. He wouldn’t be blown away that easy. When the attack was done, Jaden lowered his arms and saw Atticus grinning at him.

“Well I think you had enough for now. I’ll end my turn,” he said.

Jaden looked at his deck and saw he had 100 lifepoints left. Man this duel was intense, he was really getting his shot at Atticus and the guy wasn’t pulling any punches. Blowing out a breath he let out a laugh that had everyone thinking he lost it.

“Man, this is the best duel of the year. Thanks for picking me!” Jaden exclaimed.

Atticus smiled softly. Jaden brought out a side to him he hadn’t felt in awhile. “Thanks for accepting, but it’s not over. You still have 100 lifepoints, I want to see if you can do anything with them.”

Nodding his head, Jaden drew a card and heard a coo. Gasping he looked at his side and saw Winged Kuriboh on his shoulder. Looking down, he noticed he drew his buddy. He also had Transcendent Wings in his hand as well. This would be the shot he needed.

“All right, I summon Winged Kuriboh in defense mode. And I think I’ll go ahead and throw down a facedown while I’m at it.”

Atticus looked at the field, and narrowed his eyes in contemplation. Playing Winged Kuriboh was smart, it would reduce all battle damage he took this turn to zero. However he couldn’t figure out the deal with the facedown. Something was up, but his current hand, he didn’t have a way to get rid of it. He drew a card, and realized that he still didn’t have a way. Well he would just have to be a little reckless.

“All right Jaden, here I come. I attack Winged Kuriboh with Troposphere,” Atticus declared.

As the monster launched forward, Jaden smirked. It wasn’t the monster he wanted Atticus to use, but he wasn’t going to be upset. “I don’t think so! I activate my spell card Transcendent Wings. Now by sacrificing my Winged Kuriboh I can summon Winged Kuriboh Level 10. Now by discarding him, I can destroy Troposphere and deal that his attack points back to you as damage!”

Atticus looked at him in shock. A blinding light lit up the stage and Atticus skidded back with the force. He brought both arms up to shield his face and grit his teeth. When the attack settled he looked at Jaden. The Slifer was beaming, that was a massive amount of damage 2400 to be exact. He now had 1200 lifepoints left.

“Damn, nice move Jaden,” Atticus complimented. His eyes were bright and he looked at the first year. “Only one other person has managed that kind of damage on me. I’m impressed.”

Laughing, Jaden rubbed his head and looked to where their friends were. They all were leaning forward, gazes riveted to the duel.

“Glad I managed it then,” he laughed.

“Well with that, I will end my turn,” Atticus declared. He could feel his heart pounding, this duel was exhilarating and he couldn’t get enough.

“All right, my turn!” Jaden drew a card and looked down. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much he could do. “I play the spell card; The Warrior Returning Alive. This brings back Elemental Hero Bubbleman to my field. And since he’s alone, I get to draw two more cards.” Drawing the cards, he realized there wasn’t much for him to win. However… yeah that could work. “I place one card facedown and with that I end my turn.”

Atticus looked at Bubbleman and wondered what was going on. Jaden summoning it in attack mode made no sense. Drawing a card, he looked at his hand and shrugged. This was the last round, he would still be King at the end.

“All right Jaden! I attack with The Atmosphere to destroy your Bubbleman!” Atticus pointed a finger and the monster launched.

“I don’t think so Atticus! I play my trap card; Ring of Destruction. Bastion gave me this card when I helped him with a few things. And now I’m playing it. I attach it to The Atmosphere and we both take damage equal to his attack points. You know what that means?”

Atticus grinned brightly, he knew exactly what that meant. “Nice move Jaden!”

The fire ring attached to The Atmosphere and it was destroyed in an explosion. The blast knocked both duelists off their feet and sent them flying. Jaden landed on his back, arms and legs spread out like an eagle, eyes closed. Atticus went to his knees as he raised his gaze and looked at Jaden. Both of their lifepoints hit zero simultaneously and the field cleared.

Everyone was dead silent as they looked down in disbelief. Finally Sheppard rose to his feet and started clapping. Crowler followed suit, a wide smile on his face, and then the entire room was filled with clapping and cheers. People stood up from their seats and clapped, including the group of friends. Syrus whistled and clapped as loud as he could. Alexis was smiling at her brother, clapping her hands delicately. Chazz and Bastion were nudging each other clapping and cheering. Zane smiled down as he clapped for an amazing duel between two amazing duelists.

Jaden opened his eyes to the cheers and looked at the ceiling. He was feeling a little disoriented and was trying to right himself.

“You alright?” Atticus asked on a laugh.

Jaden looked over and saw Atticus gingerly lower himself next to Jaden. A genuine smile on his face, eyes bright from the duel. He reached over and helped Jaden sit up.

“I think so… how’s my hair? Is it still there?” Jaden asked suddenly. He ran a hand over his head and Atticus laughed.

“Yeah, your hair’s still there and still as wild as you are.” Reaching over, the Obelisk ruffled the brown hair in front of him. “Looks like we ended up with a draw.”

“Yeah.” Jaden paled at a thought. “Does that mean we have to duel again? I mean I would love to duel you again, but this took a lot out of me.”

“Absolutely we will. Someday we’ll get another duel in,” Atticus responded. He turned his smiling face toward Jaden and held out a hand.

“Till then. Cause I could use a break,” Jaden said. He reached out and clapped Atticus’s hand.

“Me too,” Atticus sighed. They shared a look, and after giving Jaden’s hand a squeeze, the two fell over laughing.

Facing opposite directions, they lay on their backs laughing at the duel they just had. Clapping still rang around them. Their friends all shared looks with one another. The antics of the two on the stage were nothing new. In fact they all exchanged knowing looks.

“Atticus Rhodes and Jaden Yuki, you both have demonstrated some amazing talent here today. Thank you for showing us a wonderful duel. I’m glad to have this as the way to end the year,” Sheppard’s voice rang out.

Both Jaden and Atticus sat up and looked at him with identical smiles. Sheppard was glad to see the light return to Atticus’s eyes. He was laughing and joking as he pulled the first year Slifer to his feet. Wrapping an arm around Jaden’s shoulders he walked the both of them off the stage to where their friends were.

The group of seven stood near the tunnel and talked. Good naturedly shoving Jaden, Atticus winked at him. Syrus grabbed Jaden and hugged him, Alexis hugged her brother and congratulated him. Finally the Obelisk placed a hand on Jaden’s shoulder.

“Jaden, just so you know, with Zane and I graduated, now you’re the top duelist here. So you have a lot to live up to. I can’t wait to see what you do next year!” Atticus declared.

Jaden’s eyes went wide and he looked between the two of them. Atticus ‘King’ Rhodes and Zane ‘Kaiser’ Truesdale. The biggest names of Duel Academy and now Jaden was ranked with them. They both were grinning at him. He beamed and jumped as high as he could, thrusting a fist in the air.

“Best year ever!” Jaden declared loudly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! I hope I was able to convey my thoughts into this chapter. This was so important to me and I wanted it to be everything I was hyping it to be. I couldn't decide if I wanted to do Atticus's Red Eyes Deck or his Sphere Deck. But once I read the manga again, I decided to throw in a surprise. Atticus's sphere deck is light, while his Red Eyes Deck is dark. I love both, but here he needed to distance himself from the person he became for two years. So that was my reasoning. He was able to duel for fun and Jaden revitalized him in that. Now this isn't the last chapter yet. I plan on about two more. One for the graduation ceremony, I was pissed they didn't show it in the anime for Season 1. And the second is Zane going home and seeing his parents again. And once those are done, I will continue working on the second book. I have part of the first chapter written and I'm excited to share it with you all. As always thoughts and predictions welcome. Stay safe and healthy everyone.


	44. Graduation Celebration

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR: THE GRADUATION CELEBRATION

After the graduation match between Atticus and Jaden was done, everyone moved on to getting ready to celebrate the Graduation of all the seniors. The underclassmen were especially excited to do this for Atticus and Zane. In fact they had ordered the two upperclassmen to go enjoy some time on the beach, while they prepared the party.

The sun was slowly setting over the horizon, Atticus was riding the last wave. Zane was watching him, sitting on the sandy beach. His long legs were stretched out in front of him and watched as Atticus enjoyed the wave. Smiling, he tilted his head to the sky. Enjoying the rays of sunlight, his mind felt light.

“Whatcha thinking about?” Atticus asked as he walked up. Sticking the surfboard in the sand, he sat down next to Zane and laid on his back. Putting his hands behind his head, he turned his head to look at his boyfriend.

“How much lighter I feel.” Zane smiled down at him. “And how nice it was to see you duel how you used to. That duel with Jaden reminded you what it means to have fun.”

Atticus let out a laugh. “Yeah, Jaden is something else. I’m looking forward to seeing it next year, he will just continue to grow.”

“Yeah, so did you really promise a duel?” Zane brought his left leg up and set his chin on it.

“Kinda. After I beat Camula, Jaden was talking about how he wanted a chance to duel me. So I told him that if he kept it up, he would get it.” Atticus turned his head to look at him. “He also talked about how if you hadn’t come to your senses, you would have won. So that was his reason for wanting another duel with you.”

“Yeah, I try not to think about that whole duel. Jaden surprised me, and when I feel safer dueling, I wouldn’t mind a rematch.” Zane shuddered and forced a smile. “So what do you think all of them are doing for the graduation party?”

Atticus sat up and looked out over the water. “I don’t know, I find it hilarious that they’re planning all of this.” 

Looking over, Atticus smiled as he saw Zane close his eyes to the breeze. It shifted his teal hair and a smile spread his lips. It was true, he did look lighter. He was sleeping again, his skin had some color to it. And best of all, the rings around his eyes were almost nonexistent now. Clearly things were on the right path to help him heal.

“Well, we have some time to ourselves…” Atticus trailed off.

Zane looked over, raising an eyebrow. Atticus leaned in, gripping the back of his head and kissed him. Smiling, Zane closed his eyes and leaned into the kiss. His own hands came up and gripped Atticus’s shoulders.

“I think I can guess what you want,” Zane laughed.

“What can I say, you know me better than anyone,” Atticus replied with a cheshire grin.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Back at the Obelisk Blue dorm, the underclassmen were running around the large circular room setting up for the party. Alexis was smiling as she pulled out some special jackets. She had worked with Dr. Crowler to get them made. Giggling she made her way to her brother’s dorm room and Zane’s. Each jacket had a note on it, ordering them to wear them. She couldn’t wait to see them in these jackets, and it would be her turn to get a picture to show the family later.

Syrus was still in the room, he was running around. His face was split in a smile, getting the room for his brother’s graduation was the best feeling. For the last two years he didn’t think he would ever find his brother again, let alone have the kind of relationship they did now. The happiness welling up inside him couldn’t be contained. He was eagerly setting out plates and glasses on the long buffet table.

Jaden was standing on a ladder hanging streamers around the tall windows. He was concentrating so hard, he didn’t notice a feline walking across the beam on the ceiling. Pharaoh once directly above Jaden, jumped down and landed on his head. Causing the Slifer to yell and jerk.

“You alright?” Bastion asked as he ran over and steadied the ladder. Concerned gray eyes looked up at Jaden.

“Yeah,” Jaden laughed and rubbed the back of his head. His hand touched the fur and pulled Pharaoh from his head. “Seriously Pharaoh? Shouldn’t you be with Zane or something? And not scaring the crap out of me.”

“I told you before Jaden, Pharaoh likes you as well,” Banner’s voice echoed in his mind.

“Yeah, great… but he nearly killed me,” Jaden complained and froze when his words registered.

“It’s alright my boy,” Banner chuckled.

“Ummm, Jaden who are you talking to?” Bastion questioned. He was staring at Jaden, even more concern in his gaze now.

“Huh?” Jaden blinked, and looked down at Bastion. Flashing him a smile, he climbed down with Pharaoh in his arms. “Yeah, Pharaoh jumped down from the ceiling and scared the crap out of me. I was telling him, he nearly killed me.”

“Alright,” Bastion responded. He didn't look all that convinced however. Leaning down he picked up the table decorations and walked back to where he was working.

Jaden looked around at all his friends getting things ready. Alexis was walking back in and walked to Syrus. The two shared a secretive look, and laughed. She then started helping him finish setting everything out. Chazz was setting out chairs and tables, with Bastion following behind him setting up the table decorations. The two of them were talking quietly and Chazz giving his opinion on certain things.

“This is going to be sweet,” Jaden whispered.

“Yes, I am so glad you all are doing this for the seniors. I know this is mainly for your friends Atticus and Zane, but all of the seniors will enjoy this,” Banner responded. His form shimmered next to Jaden. A smile on his face as he surveyed the bustling around the room.

“Yeah they deserve to end this on a fun note.” Jaden looked to where Banner was standing and ran a hand over Pharaoh. “So why is Pharaoh here? The little guy usually isn’t too far from Zane.”

“The two of them were in the water. Pharaoh may have taken to Zane, but he still is a cat. He’s not fond of water, so he came looking for the other person he likes,” Banner responded. A knowing smile on his face.

“Huh, so we found one place Pharaoh won’t go,” Jaden joked. “I can’t wait for the party to start.”

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Zane walked into his room and shook his damp hair. Atticus had dragged him into the water and now his clothes were soaking wet. Shivering from the cold, he finally noticed the strange jacket lying across his bed. A piece of paper clipped to the lapel.

Zane,

For your graduation party, you need to wear this jacket at the party. Wear your usual blue pants and black shoes. Also the blue sash is required. Can’t wait to see you and Atticus in your jackets. See you tonight.

PS, thank you for convincing my brother to go back to his Sphere Deck. For that alone, you’re golden for me. He’s now acting like himself, and that is worth more than anything for me.

~Alexis

Zane stared dumbfounded at the jacket and note. Setting it down, he lifted the jacket and got a better look at it. Grimacing, he realized it was something geared more to Atticus’s taste than his. It was a white jacket with twin tails flared out. Gold trim lined the high collar and the twin tails. There were gold tassel shoulder pads on each shoulder. Finally the cuffs were the same light blue color as the sash, with gold stripes.

“She can’t be serious,” he muttered. But thinking about who her brother is, he wondered if she just hid the crazy, theatrical side better than Atticus.

Shaking his head, he set the jacket back on his bed and walked to his closet. Reaching in, he grabbed a towel and walked to the bathroom to shower. He didn’t want to go to his graduation party smelling like an ocean.

Stepping out of his bathroom, dressed in his blue pants and shirtless, he froze in shock at seeing Atticus standing in the room. He was dressed in a blue jacket, in the same style as the one he usually wore. It had gold trimming along the flared back, along the high neck collar and the gold zipper. There were also gold chains hanging from the same kind of shoulder pads on Zane’s graduation jacket. He was in white pants with a red sash.

“What do you think?” he asked with a laugh. Turning in a circle, he let Zane see the full thing. Holding up a hand, encased in a white glove, he gave Zane a rose. “My sister has good taste. I’m shocked to be honest.”

“I think both you and your sister are both crazy.” Zane took it and twirled it between his fingers. “Clearly she just hides it better.”

“Well don’t tell her that. She’ll take major offense and probably find a way to retaliate, she’s good at it too. Take my word for it,” Atticus muttered with a shudder. Brightening instantly, he looked at Zane. “So what jacket do you have?”

Bringing the rose up, he smelled the petals and smiled. “The one on the bed. I just need to get changed.” He walked over to the bed, and pulled the towel from his shoulders to put it on his hair.

Atticus walked over and looked at the jacket. Whistling, he smiled when Zane looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “I like it. It’s not as theatrical as mine, but it’s still nice.”

Rolling his eyes, Zane pulled on one of his black shirts. Grabbing the jacket once again, he took the note off and set it back on the bed. Sliding the jacket on, he zipped it up and noticed that he had a gold zipper as well. Adjusting his cuffs, he looked at Atticus again.

“Ready to see what they did?” he asked.

“You bet.” Reaching over, he grabbed the rose and put it in the lapel on Zane’s jacket. Smiling, he looked at his boyfriend’s red face and kissed him. Pulling back, he grabbed his hand and pulled. “Let’s go, I want to see what these guys did.”

The two of them were walking out of the room and down the hallway. Voices could be heard from the grand ballroom. Standing on the top of the staircase, they looked down in awe. The entire room was lit up in a golden light. Steamers and banners hung from the ceiling. A long table was on one side of the room, filled with food and drinks. Circular tables were scattered around the room, people sitting at them. The room had an old elegant feel to it.

“Wow…” Zane trailed off. “I can’t believe it.”

“Yeah, they really went all out here,” Atticus responded. He looked at Zane, and grinned. “Shall we?” He bowed with flourish.

“Please don’t,” Zane muttered.

Grabbing his hand, Atticus dragged Zane down the stairs. Their group of friends looked up and smiled. Conversation seemed to still as the two top students made their way down the stairs. Zane tried to keep his face from turning red at all the attention. As he was looking around a clicking sound, and a flash caught his attention. Blinking he looked over and saw Alexis with the camera as she lowered it with a small smile.

His eyes widened as he looked at her. Something about the way she took the picture, and smiled so quietly… it felt like that happened before. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to think through the fog in his mind. Atticus launched at his sister and she took off running.

“Seriously Alexis?!” he called.

“Payback’s a bitch big bro!” she called back.

Everyone looked at the Rhodes siblings and had sweat running down their faces. Zane shook his head, he made his way to the group standing there. Syrus was bouncing up and down like he always did when he was excited. As soon as Zane was within reach, he lunged and wrapped his arms around his brother.

“Congratulations big bro!” Syrus exclaimed.

Laughing, Zane wrapped an arm around Syrus’s shoulders. “Thanks Sy.”

Jaden came up next with Pharaoh in his arms. The brunette Slifer was grinning widely and shifted from foot to foot. Zane smirked and opened his arms, signalling it was alright for Jaden to hug him as well. With an even wider smile, Jaden moved close and gave Zane a hug.

“Congratulations, I’m really glad to have met you this year.” Jaden pulled back and laughed when Pharaoh meowed, jumping into Zane’s arms.

“Well it was nice while it lasted,” he muttered. Jaden raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side. “I had some time to myself without Pharaoh and his spirit eating ways.”

“Well I’m always game to take over if you need a break,” Jaden laughed. “Thanks for letting me hug you. I seriously am glad to have gotten to know you this year. Even better is you sticking around.”

“Same to you, Jaden.” Zane smiled and patted his shoulder.

“This is just payback for you taking that picture at duel spirit day!” Alexis called as she ran past them.

“Hand it over now, Lex,” Atticus shot back.

Zane looked at them and shook his head. They were acting like children, and the worst part was he isn’t the least bit surprised. All their eyes went to the siblings bickering and laughing. Chazz and Bastion came up to Zane next.

“Congrats man,” Chazz said. He extended a hand and Zane shook it.

“Thanks Chazz,” he responded with a small smile.

“It’s been an honor to get to know you this year,” Bastion said.

“I expect to see amazing things from you all next year, Bastion. Especially you,” Zane responded. “I heard about your test scores, that’s impressive.”

Bastion went wide eyed and a faint flush stained his cheeks at the praise. Smiling, he shook Zane’s hand and walked to get something to drink from the buffet table. Chazz laughed and after nodding to the three still standing there followed behind him.

Atticus came up, and glared at his sister as she slid next to Jaden with a smile. Zane elbowed him, and shook his head. Pharaoh let out a loud meow, and the tension was broken. Everyone laughed and looked at one another.

“Seriously, congrats Zane. You and my brother graduating with each other this year was amazing. To top it off, you made him think about himself,” Alexis said. She smiled serenely at him.

“I didn’t do anything,” Zane denied.

Alexis shook her head and laughed. “No you did, even if you don’t realize it. So you need anything, and you can’t find my brother… you come to me.”

“Thank you,” he said simply. He wasn’t sure what to make of what she was saying.

The sound of tapping on glass caught the attention of everyone in the room. They turned and saw Chancellor Sheppard standing with Dr. Crowler in the center of the room. Both men had smiles on their faces and they held up their glasses.

“I would like to make a small speech for all the seniors in this room,” Sheppard announced in his usual booming voice. “I am so proud of each and everyone of you. To have seen you all grow from freshmen to where you are now. I can’t wait to see you in professional matches, see you as teachers and just to see where you will go. So I raise my glass to you all, enjoy the night and the rest of your lives.”

Everyone raised the glasses they took. The rest of the night went by in a blur. Everyone was eating, drinking sparkling water and enjoying themselves. While Atticus was speaking with Syrus and Jaden for a moment, Zane took some time to sneak outside. Once out in the night, he raised his gaze to the starry sky.

“Man, this was one hell of a year,” he muttered. As he looked from the sky, to the treeline, a figure caught his attention. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to decipher what he was seeing. “Someone there?”

The black clothed figure shifted, and vanished in a swirling dark mass. But not before Zane saw a flash of the mask and the breath left his lungs in a rush. It was similar to Hellshroud’s mask, but sharper and more demonic.

“Stay safe, for everyone’s sake,” a voice whispered in his ear.

Blinking, Zane saw a familiar figure. Green hair shifted in the wind, and Zane saw him shift the mask to reveal a violet eye. He couldn’t place where he knew this person from… but he felt like he knew them. Leaning forward, he tried to get his eyes to focus. His feet felt rooted to the spot.

“Hey,” Atticus called and placed a hand on Zane’s shoulder. This caused the teal haired teen to jump. “What’re you looking at?”

“Not sure… thought I saw someone out there, but maybe it was the moon playing tricks on me,” Zane responded. He shook his head and looked to Atticus. “What were you talking with Jaden and Syrus about?”

“Just something I wanted to try next year. I was seeing if they were interested in some special classes. I also talked with Chazz and Bastion too. Seems like they’re all interested.” Atticus grabbed Zane’s hand and laced their fingers.

“Well why don’t we go back inside? I just came out for some air, and clearly I’ve had enough for one night,” Zane joked.

Laughing, the two of them turned and walked back into the Obelisk Blue dorm. Unbeknownst to them, a dark figure stood in the treeline. Taking off the mask, Yusuke looked at Zane and Atticus as they walked into the building.

He was relieved to see Zane healing, he truly didn’t mean anything bad to happen to him when he gave Zane the mask. Both of them were the two most important people to Yusuke, the ones who always were there for him. Sliding the mask back on his face, Yusuke turned his back to the dorm. With one last look where his classmates were celebrating their graduation, he vanished in a swirling black mass.

“You both better stay safe, Zane and Atticus. I mean it,” Yusuke whispered into the starry night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short little interlude as we are winding down. Next chapter will be the Truesdale reunion, and I have a couple different ways it can go. So we will see how it turns out. I really wish they would have showed Atticus being reunited with his parents in season 1. This chapter played two parts. It starts to wind down the first book, and bring up something will be playing a part in the next book. So what do you all think about it? Also the jackets Atticus and Zane are wearing are inspired by a picture i found on Tumblr. That artist did an amazing job! Any predictions for the family reunion coming? As always thoughts and predictions welcome. Stay safe and healthy. Until the final chapter!


	45. Reunion

EPILOGUE: REUNION

Zane sat on the plane with his brother, destined for their home. He was completely apprehensive, fear was skirting down his spine. Syrus was talking about how happy he was to be able to tell their parents he was coming home.

He was dressed in a black shirt with his blue pants. Pharaoh was in a cat carrier sitting in his lap. Nurse Fontaine had written a form out to allow him to have the feline with him, Pharaoh was officially listed as his therapy animal. The gentle snores actually seemed to help settle him. He hoped his parents would be alright with the cat.

Syrus was next to him, sitting in the window seat. He was in his yellow shirt and dark jeans. His light blue hair was in its usual disarray, and his light blue eyes wide with excitement behind his glasses. His chatter was actually going in one ear and out the other.

“What did the academy tell mom and dad?” Zane asked suddenly. He couldn’t even be embarrassed that he interrupted his brother.

Syrus looked at his brother and sobered up quickly. “The academy told them they were looking for you. And asked they not say anything, that they were allocating all resources to finding all the missing students. All of the parents agreed to keep quiet if the academy kept searching.” Syrus clenched his fists and an angry flush spread across his cheeks.

“You alright?” Zane questioned. He rubbed his arm, trying to settle his brother down.

“I’m just so mad at mom and dad for agreeing to not make a big deal of it. None of the parents of those missing students said anything. They just allowed the academy to claim they were looking with nothing to show for it. And you suffered for so long.” Syrus looked at Zane with a strange glint in his eyes.

“Well Sheppard was doing what he could. It wasn’t like any of us were anywhere they could get to help us,” Zane whispered. Unzipping the cat carrier, he stuck his hand in and rubbed Pharaoh’s fur. “And the fact we’re all back now…” he trailed off and frowned.

“What’s up?” Syrus asked worriedly. He reached over and grasped Zane’s hand, giving it a tight squeeze.

“Just some dark thoughts.” Zane shook his head and forced a smile. “But I’m beyond grateful for you never giving up Syrus. You even went to bat for me to save me.”

Syrus beamed. “Well you would have done the same thing for me.”

Zane smiled and nodded his head. “Yeah, I would.”

His gaze went across the row to where Atticus and Alexis were sitting. It really was a small world, during their first year the families realized they lived only about an hour from one another. It made the families become close, especially after seeing their oldest children being friends.

The siblings were both dozing off. Alexis was dressed in white dress pants and a purple shirt. Her blonde hair was braided over her shoulder, as she rested her head on her brother’s shoulder. Atticus was sitting in the aisle seat, his head leaned back against the headrest of his seat. He was dressed in black pants, and a blue top. His brown hair was in its usual disarray.

“Just so you know, Atticus nearly bit off mom and dad’s heads for not doing more. He really was inconsolable after you went missing. It’s why I thought there was more to your friendship than you had originally told us,” Syrus said when he saw his brother looking at the Rhodes siblings.

“He did?” Zane turned to look back at Syrus. “He was?”

“Yep, and for that I like him even more. I feel like he did more trying to find you than anyone else,” Syrus stated with a grin.

Zane looked back to where they were sleeping. A small smile crossed his face. Sheppard had mentioned how Atticus nearly bit his head off for feeling not enough was being done. He even was willing to stand up to his parents… he didn’t think he could get any luckier if he tried.

“Attention passengers. We are making our descent into the International Airport. Please raise your seats and put your trays back in their locked positions. Our stewardesses will be coming by one more time to collect any final trash,” the voice of the captain came over the speakers.

Atticus shifted and stretched his arms over his head. He nudged his sister, and she mumbled something before sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Both of them blinked their vision clear and looked around the plane.

“Have a good nap?” Zane asked.

Both of them looked at him, and he saw their gazes still glossy with sleep. Laughing, he nudged Syrus to have him look as well. When the younger Truesdale looked over snickered. Both of the Rhodes siblings had similar looks. Their gazes were still clouded with sleep, and they couldn’t seem to focus.

“Hopefully they fully wake up before the plane lands. They could end up being problems if we had to drag them to baggage claim,” Syrus said quietly.

“They will,” Zane said with a smile as he looked over at them starting to wake up. “Atticus always used to sleep on the flight home. But he was wide awake by the time the plane touched down and we got off.”

True to what Zane said, both Atticus and Alexis were awake now that the plant touched down on the tarmac. As all the passengers stood up and walked off the plane, both Rhodes and Truesdale siblings were exiting.

“You excited to see your parents again?” Alexis asked. She was standing next to her brother as the four of them were in front of baggage claim. 

Zane looked at her and considered her question. “Yeah, I do miss them.”

Atticus rubbed his shoulder, the single act usually could calm him. However, as they all grabbed their luggage and made their way to the main area, anxiety reared its ugly head again. The four of them made their way to pick up and Alexis squealed slightly when she caught sight of her parents. Taking off in a run, she ran to her father and the large man smiled as he scooped her up.

Zachary Rhodes was a large man, standing at a proud six foot even with a muscular build. His hair was the same shade as his daughter’s as were his eyes. It was clear Alexis inherited those from her father. He was dressed in black dress pants and a tight gray shirt. His skin was on the tanner side, and his hair was cut short.

“Welcome back bunny,” he said in a deep voice.

“Dad!” Alexis exclaimed. She narrowed her eyes. “I thought we talked about calling me that nickname.”

Setting his daughter down, he laughed and ruffled her hair. “You’re always going to be my little bunny, Alexis. No matter how old you get.”

Erica Rhodes was next to come up and hug her daughter. Her chocolate brown hair and eyes were the same as Atticus’s. She was in a floral sundress, with black leggings. Her long hair was pulled back and her large eyes glittered with pleasure.

“Welcome back dear,” she said happily. Her eyes went to her oldest and she gave Atticus a hug as well. “So glad to have you back.”

“Thanks mom, I missed you guys too.” He leaned into the hug and closed his eyes.

A few feet away stood Nicholas and Alice Truesdale. Nicholas Truesdale was a tall man with a slim build. His teal hair was spiky and short. His blue eyes looked a little apprehensively at his two sons. He was in a dark shirt and pants. Alice Truesdale was on the shorter side, her light blue hair was in a stylish pixie cut. Her teal eyes were soft and she shifted slightly. Her purple jacket and khaki pants made her look similar to a business woman.

All four of the Truesdales looked at one another, no one wanting to make the first move. Finally Alice couldn’t take it and she let out a choked sob as she rushed to her oldest. Zane stood frozen as his mother grasped in a tight hug. His eyes went wide as he felt her tears on his shirt. His mother came to about his shoulders.

“Zane… please forgive us,” she sobbed.

All eyes around them were on mother and son. Atticus had his lips pressed together and Alexis had her hand covering her mouth. Syrus was simply standing next to Zane, eyes wide with shock. Both of their parents were similar to Zane in terms of emotions, rare to show any at all. Yet here was their mother hugging her oldest with all her might.

Finally, Zane seemed to come around and looked at his mother. With misty eyes of his own, he slowly lifted his own arms and wrapped them around her. Both mother and son embraced quietly as tears flowed.

Nicholas walked up to his youngest and opened his arms awkwardly. Syrus eyed him carefully and finally stepped into them. Syrus hugged his father tightly, and Nicholas rubbed his youngest’s back and head.

“We are so proud of you Syrus. You found your brother and brought him back,” Nicholas whispered. His voice was rough with emotion.

“I was always going to find him dad,” Syrus whispered back. 

They pulled back and looked at one another. Nicholas smiled and ruffled Syrus’s hair. It was slightly stilted, because it was an unusual move for him. But the affection was clear in his eyes and touch. He was trying, and that was all that mattered.

Truthfully neither Truesdale parent had ever been overly affectionate. They weren’t abusive by any means, but they struggled to show how they felt to their children. It made their relationship strained, even more so when Zane went missing suddenly. However it appeared they were trying now, and both sons were willing to allow their parents to get a chance.

Zane pulled back from his mother and they looked at each other. Her eyes were red and puffy from her crying. Raising her hands, she placed them on his cheeks and looked at him. Leaning up, she brought his face down to meet her halfway. Kissing his forehead she closed her eyes.

“I am so glad you’re safe. Please forgive us for not doing more,” she whispered. Her voice cracked with emotion.

“Nothing to forgive. Even if you had looked, there wasn’t any way to find me,” Zane whispered back.

Alice looked at him confused. Finally a meow broke the moment and she looked down, raising her eyebrows she looked to her oldest for explanation.

“What was that?” she asked.

Both Nicholas and Syrus walked up next to them. They both looked down at the cat carrier on the ground. Syrus grinning knowingly as he knelt down and shushed Pharaoh. Nicholas simply raised an eyebrow at the carrier and back to his son.

“Well… after everything… I seem to have gotten a…” Zane trailed off, slightly uncomfortable. He looked to Syrus for help. He couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“Zane has a therapy animal now. One of the professor’s at the school passed away unexpectedly and he had no family. The cat was always close to Zane, so he kept it. Pharaoh’s helped him more than anything, and he needs him,” Syrus explained. His eyes never wavered from his parents, challenge clear in their depths.

“I have no qualms about anything that helps my son,” Nicholas responded solemnly. His gaze went from his youngest to his oldest. “Zane, if Pharaoh helps you then we’ll do anything you need.” His gaze went to his wife, rolling his eyes at the glint in her eyes. “Just be warned, your mother loves cats. She’ll try to hog him.”

The comment was so unexpected, it caused all eight of the people around to laugh. Zane was smiling slightly as he looked at his parents as his mother knelt down in front of Pharaoh and cooed at him. His gaze slid to Atticus and held his gaze. Atticus seemed to understand, and his own eyes widened at what he was asking, before smiling. He nodded his head encouragingly.

“There’s something else I need to tell you,” Zane said quietly.

Nicholas and Alice both looked at him and nodded their heads. “Whatever it is, you can tell us,” Alice said.

“Well… Atticus and I…” Zane trailed off and his face was red.

Alice smiled serenely and stood up. She placed a gentle hand on her son’s cheek. “We figured as much.”

Zane’s eyes widened and she giggled. Looking over her shoulder she walked over and grabbed Atticus by the arm, dragging him over. For a shorter woman, she was surprisingly strong. Once he stood by Zane, his brown eyes were wide.

“Now, I figured there was something with your reaction to my son’s disappearance. I don’t think I have to explain that you hurt him, there won’t be a place on this Earth you can hide from me,” Alice said with a sweet tone.

“Ma’am, I wouldn’t dream of it,” Atticus said. Glancing at Zane, he grabbed his hand and laced their fingers. He had come out to his parents about being bi-sexual last year so they weren’t surprised.

“Well enough with formalities.” Alice glanced at the other members of the Rhodes family. “Well why don’t we all go back to our home and get some dinner. Nicholas can grill, he’s a whizz at it.”

Zachary and Erica nodded their heads. They liked the Truesdale family, and to find out Atticus was involved with Zane was a shock to no one. Everyone gathered their luggage and began making their ways to vehicles.

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The two families were at the Truesdale estate. Both of them made good money and had a larger home, three levels with a large backyard. A swimming pool and patio along the land. Greenery lined the edges, and Alice’s prized garden at the back.

Nicholas and Zachary were standing by the grill. Both had beers in their hands as they grilled the dinner. Alice and Erica were walking around the yard, laughing. Erica was asking Alice about some of the flowers and vegetables she was growing in the different parts of her garden. Finally the four children were sitting on the patio near the pool.

Alexis was sitting on the pool’s side with her feet in the water. She had changed into her pink swimsuit and wore a thin silver cardigan on her shoulders. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail. Her face tilted toward the setting sun. Syrus was sitting next to her, looking at the pool with trepidation, he was still nervous around water. However this end of the pool was shallow enough that if he fell in, he would still be able to stand up.

Finally Atticus and Zane were sitting on the couch under the awning over the patio. Pharaoh was in Zane’s lap, curled in a ball snoring loudly. His father hadn’t been kidding, his mother adored cats, and Pharaoh was… polite to her. He wasn’t as warm as he was with Zane, Jaden or anyone he knew… but at least he didn’t claw her.

“Your parents took that well,” Zane noted. He leaned his head on Atticus’s shoulder, exhaustion pulling at his body and mind.

“Well, I came out to them last year. They knew I was bi-sexual so it wasn’t a surprise. And they have always loved you, just for you making me take things seriously. I’m glad you felt comfortable telling your parents,” Atticus responded. His hand went to Zane’s hair and stroked it, running down his hair and shoulder.

“Don’t let me fall asleep, our dads are finishing the dinner,” Zane muttered.

“Sure babe,” Atticus laughed.

The four parents all looked at them and smiled. They were ecstatic seeing this sight. Alice had tears down her cheeks and she pressed a thin hand to her mouth. Erica smiled and patted her arm, her eyes straying back to where they sat.

“I’m so thankful to Zane for making Atticus take his schooling seriously. He’s always been a brilliant child, but never strived for his full potential. Once they became friends, Atticus grew in a way I couldn’t have imagined,” Erica said.

“I think we’re the ones that are grateful,” Nicholas said in return. Both Zachary and Erica looked at him with raised eyebrows. “Your boy there never gave up on finding our son. He stood up to us and didn’t back down. I respect someone who can do that.”

“Well, there’s a strong chance we’ll be family one day. I have to say, I’m excited by the prospect,” Alice said. She ran her fingers over her eyes and rubbed away the tears.

“As am I,” Zachary responded. A bright grin lighting his eyes as he clapped his hands together loudly and theatrically. The four teens jumped, and looked over at him. “Time to eat kids! Let’s dig in!”

Alexis rolled her eyes and stood up, leaning down she helped Syrus to his feet. Atticus laughed and nudged Zane, who had actually started to doze. The two of them rose from the couch, Pharaoh meowed annoyed at being moved and jumped to the couch. Circling twice, he plopped down and went back to sleep.

They made their way over and everyone sat down. The large black wrought iron table with eight chairs circled around it. Food was passing back and forth, as was conversation. Promises were made to go out tomorrow to celebrate both Atticus and Zane’s graduation.

“So what are you boys going to do now that you’re both done with school?” Erica asked. She lifted her wine glass and took a sip.

“I plan on being an instructor at Duel Academy next year,” Zane said.

Alice and Nicholas went still. They didn’t want their son going back there, and risking him vanishing again. When Zane simply stared at them, it turned the dinner slightly tense.

“I’ll be there too as will Syrus, Alexis and all our friends. He won’t be missing again I promise,” Atticus cut in. He lifted his glass and took a drink of his pop.

“But-”

“But nothing mother,” Zane interrupted. That single act had her clamping her lips shut. When he called her ‘mother’ or Nicholas ‘father’ he was angry. “I want to do this. I enjoyed working with one of the teachers there, and I want to see Syrus keep growing there. It’s what I want.”

Nicholas lifted his beer and took a drink, as he considered. “Well… you’ll be an adult and we can’t tell you one way or another. But please, just stay in contact with us. We’ll worry if we don’t hear from you again.”

Zane’s gaze softened slightly as he looked at his father. “I promise, and Syrus as well as Atticus have already said I won’t be alone again there.”

Laughing, Erica took a bite of her dinner. “This is fantastic, you two. My compliments to the chefs.”

Just like that the tense moment was broken. Conversation flowed easily again, and the dinner was lighter after that. Things were spoken of, and truth was out. Zane still wasn’t comfortable talking about his time in the shadows, and he didn’t mention it to his parents. He wasn’t sure if they would understand either. But, he still felt better. Glancing at the starry night, he smiled. 

Behind the family another guest was standing and smiling as well. Banner was relieved to see how relaxed the students were. He sat on the couch with Pharaoh still sleeping. Leaning forward, he put his elbows on his knees and looked up at the sky.

“Next year will surely be interesting, and I can’t wait to see what happens,” he whispered as quietly as he could. He didn’t want to interrupt the families reconnecting.

Once dinner was completed, the Truesdale family offered to let the Rhodes family stay over, as it was late. Everyone went to bed that night feeling better than they had in two years. Zane grabbed Pharaoh and curled up on his bed. Nuzzling the feline, he closed his eyes on a smile.

“Good night Pharaoh.” He paused for a moment and blew out a breath. “Good night Banner,” he added.

“Good night my boy. Sleep well, nothing will bother you again,” Banner responded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, we are at the end of this! I can't believe it! Thank you to everyone who supported this story and be on the lookout tomorrow for the first chapter of book 2! I can't wait to share it with you guys. Now this chapter is the end of book 1, and things wrapped up. I hope you all liked it, as I did my take on answering some questions. Like in canon why wouldn't the Rhodes parents be tearing down that school looking for their son? Alexis knew he vanished, so why didn't they? And why in the hell did they allow Atticus to go back after he vanished there? So here there was an explanation. So what did you all think? Thoughts welcome, and be on the look out tomorrow for book 2! Stay safe and healthy everyone, and thank you again!


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